(Web Desk) - As children, many of us fantasized about creating our own nations, but for most, it remains a fleeting dream.
Daniel Jackson, however, turned that childhood vision into reality by establishing the Free Republic of Verdis, a micronation on a 0.5-square-kilometer patch of unclaimed land along the Danube River, caught in a border dispute between Croatia and Serbia.
Now 20, Jackson serves as the president of Verdis, a self-proclaimed nation complete with its own flag, cabinet, currency, and nearly 400 citizens.
Despite his ambitions, the journey has been far from smooth, with Jackson now banned from entering his own "country."
The Birth of Verdis
Jackson founded the Free Republic of Verdis on May 30, 2019, claiming a small, forested area known as “pocket three” on maps, unclaimed by either Croatia or Serbia.
At 0.5 square kilometers, Verdis is the world’s second-smallest country, just behind Vatican City. A digital designer who builds virtual worlds on Roblox, Jackson first conceived the idea at 14, initially treating it as a fun experiment with friends.
“We started making Verdis a reality when I was 18, creating laws and designing a flag,” Jackson told SWNS. What began with just four people has grown into a community of 400 citizens, with thousands more expressing interest.
Verdis issues its own passports—though Jackson advises against using them for international travel - and recognizes English, Croatian, and Serbian as official languages, with the Euro as its currency.
Access to Verdis is only possible by boat from Osijek, Croatia, but attempts to settle the land have met significant obstacles.Clashes with Croatian AuthoritiesIn October 2023, Croatian police detained Jackson and others attempting to settle in Verdis.
They were deported, and Jackson received a lifetime ban from entering Croatia. “They claimed we were a threat to homeland security but provided no clear reason,” he said.
Croatian authorities have since reportedly set up surveillance to prevent access from the Serbian side.Now operating a “government in exile,” Jackson remains determined. “
Croatia doesn’t claim the land, so we have a right to it,” he said, expressing hope for a future resolution and better relations with Croatian officials. Based in Belgrade, Serbia, where authorities have been more receptive, Jackson continues to push for Verdis’ recognition.
A Vision Beyond PowerJackson, originally from Australia, insists his goal isn’t power. “I just want to be a normal citizen,” he said. “It’s been eye-opening, and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved.”
For him, standing in the forested land of Verdis, a country he created, is a “magical” experience.With a growing citizenry selected for skills like medicine and policing, Jackson remains optimistic.
“It’s a matter of when, not if, we return to the land,” he told SWNS, determined to transform Verdis from a bold experiment into a lasting reality.