Mohammedia – Daniel Jackson, a 20-year-old Australian, has declared himself president of the Free Republic of Verdis on a 505,857 m² forest along the Danube River between Croatia and Serbia in May 30, 2019, after identifying the disputed no-man’s land as an opportunity to establish his own sovereign nation.
What he never imagined was that the idea of ruling his own country would lead to detention in the Balkans, deportation to Britain, and headlines around the world.
Verdis doesn’t yet exist as a physical settlement. Instead, “it only exists on a website where people can apply for citizenship,” Jackson explained in recent interviews. So far, 15,000 people have applied to become citizens of Verdis.
Around 400 have already received physical passports and IDs. Even more striking, some have used these documents to cross borders. Jackson admits, “there are instances of successful crossings but it’s not something that we will promote unless that country recognizes our documents officially.”
Jackson, operating now from Dover–where he was deported after Croatian authorities dismantled a 2023 campsite on the disputed land–continues his work in exile. He manages Verdis’ volunteer government, infrastructure plans, and media outreach all while hopeful that formal recognition will follow.
His stated goal is to make Verdis a neutral hub for humanitarian NGOs, a functioning state that challenges traditional sovereignty norms. His enthusiasm remains unwavering and says he’ll step aside as president once statehood is achieved.
“I think I’ve scared my parents half to death a lot of the time,” Jackson admits, acknowledging the risks and unconventional nature of his path. His story raises compelling questions about what it truly means to found a nation in an era where every piece of land seems accounted for, and whether a determined individual with a bold vision can still carve out their own place in the world.
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