At 20, He Founded His Own Country ‘Verdis’

On the banks of the Danube River lies a disputed strip of land with its own flag, constitution, and 400 citizens — though its founder lives in exile.

Daniel Jackson began the idea as a lighthearted project with friends at age 14. Five years later, in 2019, at just 20, he saw an opportunity in a small unclaimed patch of land between Croatia and Serbia, left outside both countries’ borders due to a territorial dispute.

He named it the Free Republic of Verdis, designed its flag, wrote its laws, and declared himself “President.” The microstate covers just half a square kilometer.

Today, Verdis has around 400 official citizens, with thousands more applications pending. The official languages are English, Croatian, and Serbian, and the currency is the euro. Reaching it is challenging — it can only be accessed via boats from Osijek, Croatia.

Last year, Croatian police detained Jackson and several companions while they camped in Verdis. Though the exact reason was not given, the group was deported and banned from entering Croatia. Jackson claims authorities see him as a threat.

Now based in Belgrade, Serbia, Jackson earns a living designing for video games while running Verdis in exile. His ultimate dream is to return and live there full-time, after which he plans to hold elections and step down: “I’m not obsessed with power. I want to build something lasting.”

Source: Milliyet