Australian man founded his own country at the age 14 and has since been flooded with citizenship requests

We live in a democracy where the power of the people prevails over their rulers. Whenever they decide, they can dismantle the regime by electing someone better. However, persistent conflicts in many parts of the world are not reaching peaceful resolutions. This was evident to a man who decided to form his own country, the Republic of Verdis, after witnessing the constant struggle between two neighboring sovereign rivals, Croatia and Serbia. Although it lacks official recognition worldwide, its so-called leader and president, Daniel Jackson, has been reported as a "threat to homeland security" by Croatia, according to a UNILAD report. 

Born and raised in Australia, Jackson was only 14 when he and a group of people in southeastern Europe founded the Republic of Verdis in 2019. The young leader seized the opportunity presented by the long-standing conflict between neighboring Croatia and Serbia. In 2023, the Croatian government ordered an invasion of the territory along the Danube River, resulting in the detention of several leaders of this micronation.

“The settlement was quickly destroyed by Croatian police, who violated international law by entering Verdis and detaining citizens on October 12, 2023,” the Republic of Verdis’s official website stated.

Jackson, now a 20-year-old, said, "We consider ourselves a functional sovereign state, although our government is in exile at this time," according to UNILAD.

Jackson claimed that his country received 15,000 applications for citizenship and had over 380 citizens before being uprooted by the Croatian authorities.

Meanwhile, they claimed to have joined forces with Ukraine in its fight with Russia by sending humanitarian aid to the war-torn nation. “Since our previous Foundation Day (May 30, 2024), we began providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine. This includes radios being sent to Kyiv and assistance with the physical movement of humanitarian items from the Republic of Poland to Ukraine,” the Republic of Verdis’ official website stated.

Moreover, the President’s administration has been “largely dedicated to working” toward international recognition, funding, and overall nation-building.

“We also began the permanent settlement in October last year, although this was quickly invaded by Croatian authorities, who forced settlers into Croatia and banned them from returning. Croatian authorities violated international law, and we are continuing to do everything we can to get out of exile,” remarked Jackson, claiming his people won’t give up their right to the conflicted land. “The Vice President and I were marked as ‘threats to homeland security’ and there is also now a Croatian police boat permanently in Verdis’ waters,” he said, per the outlet.

Notably, he runs an active social media campaign dedicated to raising awareness of his people's struggles and consistently posts about their fight on his personal Instagram (@danieljacksonvs) account.

The incumbent President of the Republic of Verdis, Daniel Jackson, who assumed the role in 2019, recently posted a video highlighting their struggle as of 2024, just days before the year ends. In the video, he was shown fleeing his homeland on a boat following the Croatian strike against the settlers. He was also seen proudly holding the twin-colored flag of the micronation, featuring sky-blue edges and a white stripe running through the center.

You can follow Daniel Jackson (@danieljacksonvs) on Instagram for more updates on the Republic of Verdis.