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A man has declared himself president of a self-proclaimed country nestled in a disputed patch of land between Croatia and Serbia — and it comes complete with a flag, cabinet, currency and nearly 400 citizens.

Daniel Jackson founded the Free Republic of Verdis, a less than 125-acre sliver of forest along the Danube River.

He did so after discovering the area was unclaimed by either neighboring country due to an ongoing border dispute.

“Verdis was an idea I had when I was 14,” said Jackson, who is 20 years old. “It was just a bit of an experiment at first with a few mates. We have all dreamed of creating something crazy.”

A man has declared himself president of a self-proclaimed country nestled in a disputed patch of land between Croatia and Serbia — and it comes complete with a flag, cabinet, currency and nearly 400 citizens.

Daniel Jackson founded the Free Republic of Verdis, a less than 125-acre sliver of forest along the Danube River.

He did so after discovering the area was unclaimed by either neighboring country due to an ongoing border dispute.

“Verdis was an idea I had when I was 14,” said Jackson, who is 20 years old. “It was just a bit of an experiment at first with a few mates. We have all dreamed of creating something crazy.”

The official languages of Verdis are English, Croatian and Serbian — and the nation uses the Euro as its currency.

Verdis is accessible only by boat from the Croatian city of Osijek, though attempts to settle there have gotten some significant resistance.

In October 2023, Croatian police detained several settlers, along with Jackson himself, before deporting them and issuing him a lifetime ban from entering the country.

“They deported us but couldn’t give a reason why,” Jackson said. “They said we were a threat to homeland security.”
Now operating what he calls a “government in exile,” Jackson has accused Croatian authorities of installing surveillance along his country’s shoreline to block access from Serbia, SWNS reported.

We have had a lot of problems with Croatian authorities, but we do want a good relationship with them in the future,” he added.

“They haven’t taken to us kindly and have been aggressive,” he claimed.

Per SWNS, Jackson now travels frequently to Belgrade, Serbia, where he says officials have been more receptive.

Each person receives a passport — though Jackson has warned people against trying to use it for actual international travel.

That said, some citizens have reportedly used their Verdisian passport to enter other countries.

“It is a very small country so we have to be careful who we let in,” Jackson told SWNS.

“When it comes to approving people, we look for in-demand skill sets such as experience in medicine or policing.”Despite his ban from Croatia, he continues to advocate for the right to access Verdis and hopes to return to live there one day.

“If successful, I would step down from my position and call an election,” he said.
Despite mounting setbacks, Jackson said he remains optimistic.

“It is a matter of when, not if, we get back on the land,” he said.

“Croatia doesn’t claim the land, so we have the right to it, and we believe that we have a good chance.”

Jackson, who is originally from Australia, is determined to make Verdis more than just a thought experiment, SWNS reported.

“To the naked eye it is just a lot of forest, but when you realize that you are in a country you have created, it is magical,” he said.

source: https://nypost.com/2025/08/03/lifestyle/free-republic-of-verdis-between-croatia-and-serbia-on-danube-river-founded-by-president-daniel-jackson/

“I am not interested in power at all … I just want to be a normal citizen. It has been eye-opening, and I am quite proud of what I have achieved,” he added.

Verdis began with just four people but now claims over 400 official citizens from a pool of more than 15,000 applicants.

Years later, they will say their forefathers owned the land. Conspiracy theories will begin to fight one another for media domination.

Any country not discovered before this 21st century is definitely not for humans.

This one na Igboho raised to power 2. No be only president, na emperor.

Kai human race we just like trouble. Yanga sleep trouble go wake am

Trust Naija, he will soon regret his decision.... when my people fllod his country...

PlayerMeji:
Trust Naija, he will soon regret his decision.... when my people fllod his country...

lol....shhhhhhh!!...no loud'am.....make we take'am by surprise

immortalcrown:
Any newly-discovered country is definitely not for humans

.

I can't laugh jare.

Will he succeed, since is a disputed territory

He is having the time of his life.

Sounds like fun!

LoopyNigeria:
He did so after discovering the area was unclaimed by either neighboring country due to an ongoing border dispute

Did you read this part before posting?
Obviously it contradicts your/his claim

My kind of vision. The kind of news I love to read


He should do fast and establish a military because enemies will soon invade his country to take over.

Thank God he is far from Russia if not that land grabbing Mputin will soon invade his country on the guise of trying to stop him from joining African Union abi NATO



Another thing he should do to boost his country's population and revenue is to start a DV lottery to bring in special talents to kickstart the economy and to form the military and Police

This guy should please take his meds. This delusion is getting out of hand.

It's not even an island self, that would have been understandable.

Without resources, human or mineral, a country is nothing more than a barren land that is home to rodents, reptiles, birds and squirrels.

#Picks_tooth

I want to be inspired, advised, mentored and pull through the chaos I am battling. Anyone?

dynicks:
lol....shhhhhhh!!...no loud'am.....make we take'am by surprise

What a loser!


Not surprised. At 20, you tend to think stupidly.

The president should be careful with developers from Nigeria before they invade and claim ownership

There is one in PH called mbasa island

Locals there are not even nigerians, they speak french

Most people in PH dont even know about it

The place wey sweet me na when crotian officers enter person country come deport the president and even body guard no get catapult to defend their president.

They come even give the presidio lifetime ban untop his new found country... Brother is now ruling in absentia....



Hahahahaha this one na Pluto Presidio....

immortalcrown:
Years later, they will say their forefathers owned the land. Conspiracy theories will begin to fight one another for media domination.

Any country not discovered before this 21st century is definitely not for humans.

😂😂

He probably read about Alexander the Great and decided to run an experiment

Oakenshield:
Kai human race we just like trouble. Yanga sleep trouble go wake am

Exploration and Discovery got us here, trouble is correlated with progress.

PlayerMeji:
Trust Naija, he will soon regret his decision.... when my people fllod his country...

Yeah, I think it’s a human thing, we love novel things, some 60K have applied already

jom28gy:
Will he
succeed, since is a disputed territory

It’s debatable but he’s on the right path, currently fighting for independence from the mother-country.

franchasng:
My kind of vision. The kind of news I love to read


He should do fast and establish a military because enemies will soon invade his country to take over.

Thank God he is far from Russia if not that land grabbing Mputin will soon invade his country on the guise of trying to stop him from joining African Union abi NATO



Another thing he should do to boost his country's population and revenue is to start a DV lottery to bring in special talents to kickstart the economy and to form the military and Police

Men are biologically wired to bring order to their surroundings.

Family - Business - Country

ravensckar:
This guy should please take his meds. This delusion is getting out of hand.

It's not even an island self, that would have been understandable.

Without resources, human or mineral, a country is nothing more than a barren land that is home to rodents, reptiles, birds and squirrels.

#Picks_tooth

I think it’s too early to denounce the 20 year old, most revolutions started small

Therock5555:
The place wey sweet me na when crotian officers enter person country come deport the president and even body guard no get catapult to defend their president.

They come even give the presidio lifetime ban untop his new found country... Brother is now ruling in absentia....



Hahahahaha this one na Pluto Presidio....

😂

Quiet an irony I reckon

LoopyNigeria:
I think it’s too early to denounce the 20 year old, most revolutions started small

Lolz. Me I no be motivational speaker o, I dey talk am as I see am. I don't want to whyne the young man.

Motivational speakers be like; "With persistence, you can achieve your dreams. I started my poultry farm with only feathers, now I have lots of birds".

#Picks_tooth

LoopyNigeria:
It’s debatable but he’s on the right path, currently fighting for independence from the mother-country.

good, would Nigeria learnt from this

Pompoma:
This one na Igboho raised to power 2. No be only president, na emperor.

igboho is just playing