Draft:Verdis

The concept for Verdis originated around 2015 when Daniel Jackson, then a 14-year-old Australian-British citizen, identified the unclaimed land using online maps.^[1] Inspired by the nearby micronation of Liberland, the project aimed to create a state with a humanitarian focus.^[1] Verdis was declared on 30 May 2019.^[1] In October 2023, Jackson attempted to establish a permanent settlement on the territory with a small group. However, Croatian police detained and deported them, issuing them a lifetime ban from entering Croatia.^[1][2] The government of Verdis has organised protests against the Croatian government.^[3]

The claimed territory is a forested area known as Pocket 3, a terra nullius resulting from the Croatia–Serbia border dispute.^[1] The dispute stems from Serbia defining the border as the current course of the Danube river, while Croatia claims the borders according to 19th-century land ownership maps, leaving Pocket 3 unclaimed by either state.^[1] The area is only accessible by boat.^[1] Entering Verdis is currently not possible due to Croatian police intervention.^[4]

The claim to Pocket 3 is based on the principle of terra nullius, with Jackson stating it was legitimate as no state had effectively asserted control over it.^[5] Verdis is a micronation, self-proclaimed political entities which are largely symbolic, often created for artistic, political, or experimental reasons.^[5] Verdis is frequently mentioned alongside other micronations and unrecognised states in media analyses.^[6]

These analyses note that most micronations, including Verdis, rarely meet the four criteria for statehood under the Montevideo Convention: a permanent population, a defined territory, an effective government, and the capacity to conduct international relations.^[5] As such, micronations remain legally unrecognised, despite frequently generating international media attention.^[5] According to an analysis by CNN, micronations can be seen as a response to a "sense that their own ability to shape their future within existing political frameworks is increasingly diminished."^[1]

Law professor and micronations scholar Harry Hobbs noted that while a project might argue it meets some legal criteria, the decisive factor for recognition is the political will of established states. Hobbs explains that "even though he [Jackson] might meet the international legal criteria for a state, the next question is: so what? You can declare yourself a state, but if other countries don't treat you as a state, it doesn't really help. If there's nothing in it for the bigger countries, they won't recognise it."^[4] The use of the terra nullius concept has also been noted in media reports as historically controversial, given its past use to justify colonisation.^[4]

Verdis is presented as being governed by a provisional government, with Daniel Jackson as president and a cabinet that includes a minister of foreign affairs.^[1] Its stated goals, as reported, include acting as a neutral hub for international dialogue and humanitarian organisations, and serving as a place to "test new forms of governance."^[1] Verdis is reportedly funded through methods such as crowdfunding, residency fees, and donations.^[4]

The Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs rejects Verdis's claims, classifying Jackson's actions as "provocative actions without any basis in law."^[1] Croatian police have intervened to remove individuals from the land.^[1] Media reports indicate that Croatian authorities have installed surveillance along the coastline to prevent access.^[2]

Following the entry ban, media reports describe Jackson as operating a "government in exile" from Dover, England, and organising protests outside the Croatian embassy in London.^[1][2]

As of February 2026, Verdis has around 400 citizens and over 2000 "e-residents", primarily targeting a generation Z following.^[4] Media coverage reports that Verdis claims to have selected those 400 citizens from a pool of thousands of applicants, and that it issues its own passports, though the passports are not valid for international travel.^[1] According to The New World, Verdis raised over $65,000 in donations and fees in September 2025.^[3]

• Liberland
• Micronation
• Terra nullius
• List of micronations