A 20-year-old Australian man has declared a small, unclaimed forest between Croatia and Serbia as the Free Republic of Verdis, aiming to establish a neutral hub for humanitarian aid organizations. Daniel Jackson, the self-proclaimed president, operates his nascent nation from a house in Dover, England, although the territory itself—roughly the size of Vatican City—remains largely uninhabited.
The land, known as “Pocket 3,” was left undefined after the Croatian War of Independence concluded in 1995 due to a historical border dispute along the Danube River. Serbia claims the thalweg of the Danube valley as the international border, while Croatia asserts the boundary lies along cadastral municipalities, diverging from the river’s current course at numerous points over a 140-kilometer stretch. This disagreement, documented as early as 1947, remained unresolved throughout the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and resurfaced following its dissolution.
Jackson, who founded Verdis in 2019 after turning 18, envisions the territory as a space for “new systems of governance” and a focal point for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). “Verdis was an idea when I was about 14 but it came back, and actually, we actually properly created the state after I had turned 18,” Jackson stated. “The reason being is it was just an idea that initially came up with a lot of people that I understand that did humanitarian work in Ukraine. And we wanted to do something that was a bit, a bit bigger than, you know, just doing aid to one country.”
The Free Republic of Verdis officially proclaims English, Croatian, and Serbian as its official languages and operates under a provisional government as it seeks international recognition. The Verdisian Government’s website states the country is dedicated to democratic values, reconciliation of ethnic groups, and environmental sustainability. However, neither Croatia nor Serbia recognizes Verdis’s sovereignty.
In October 2023, Croatian authorities reportedly violated international law by entering Verdisian territory, according to the nation’s official website. The disputed border area, situated along the Danube, is subject to differing interpretations of historical boundaries, with Croatia claiming areas based on 19th-century river courses predating modern hydrotechnical engineering. The size of the disputed territory is estimated to be up to 140 square kilometers.
Despite Jackson’s ambitions, the practical challenges of establishing a functioning state remain significant. The Free Republic of Verdis currently lacks a permanent population and relies on external support for its operations. As of August 30, 2025, Jackson was still based in Dover, England, managing the project remotely.
The status of Verdis remains unchanged, with no official statements issued by the governments of Croatia or Serbia regarding its claims to sovereignty. The United Nations has not yet recognized the Free Republic of Verdis as an independent state.
