Settlers from a country located in the heart of theBalkansmarched in London,UK,on Saturday (May 4) to proclaim their right to exist, a struggle the citizens of theRepublic of Verdishave been fighting for since its creation five years ago.
“I used totravelto and from Europe when I was younger, and I have spent a considerable amount of time in Eastern Europe and the Balkans,” Daniel, who is the president of the republic, toldBored Pandain an email.
Settlers from the Balkans marched in London to assert the Republic of Verdis’ right to existence amid geopolitical controversy
Image credits:Daniel Jackson
Along with a small group of people, Daniel took issue with how the Croatian government was handling the nation, ultimately prompting the decision to form a separate country.
The movement grew, and the small republic can now count around 400 citizens, with the president noting that over 15,000 people have applied for citizenship in the past.
Image credits:danieljacksonvs
The republic used to have an ESVISA (early settler visa) pathway, where a person would inhabit Verdis for a certain amount of time before being fast-tracked for citizenship.
“Citizens have a big part in building Verdis’ future,” Daniel said. “This ranges from the promotion of new ideas and voting on how the country will be run in the future.”
Given the presentgeopolitical climate, the term “settler” may raise concerns. But Daniel affirmed: “We are not colonizing any part of Croatia.”
Verdis was founded in 2019, and Daniel Jackson, from Australia, is the republic’s president
According to the republic, Verdis is located on a land that is not officially part of Croatia or Serbia.
“No inhabitants have previously lived on this land either,” the president said. “Most of our citizens are also ethnic Croats and Serbs.”
Moreover, anyone can apply to live in Verdis as long as they meet the necessary criteria, including “having good intentions and [respecting] Verdisian law,” as per the republic’sofficial website.
Image credits:GR_Verdis
“Verdis is a country as we have the right to our land under international law,” the president said.
The nation’s political system currently operates under a provisional government with basic laws.
“Once we are back on the land and have made enough development, a new constitution will be proposed and voted on, which will also then eventually lead to a newly elected government,” Daniel added.
Located on the western side of the Danube between Croatia and Serbia, the region has been disputed
Image credits:google maps
The United Nations’ charter includes the right to self-determination. Moreover, the UN’s Universal Declaration ofHuman Rightsarticle 15 states that everyone has the right to nationality and that no one should be arbitrarily deprived of a nationality or denied the right to change nationality.
“Previously, we never had any problem with Croatian authorities,” Daniel revealed. “The border police used to wave at us as they went past Verdis during cadastral mapping/surveying trips.”
He added: “It was only when the permanent settlement started that they invaded.
“We are working to regain access to the land and try to restore positive relations with the Republic of Croatia.”
In a previous interview withUnilad, President Jackson said that the overall goal for his country was to focus on humanitarian efforts and build a thriving city.
Moreover, he noted that despite he and his citizens being banned from the land, they had been able to provide aid toUkrainein its fight with Russia.
The self-described settlers emphasized they were not acting as colonizers and asserted that the region was uninhabited prior to their arrival
“Verdis has a large goal in being a humanitarian, neutral state,” Daniel toldBored Panda. “We have worked to provide humanitarian aid to areas in need, although this has primarily been Ukraine, as it has been the most accessible for us, and there are safe regions for our volunteers.”
He added: “I have made two of the trips myself. A lot has been sorting and providing items such as radios.”
For the moment, President Jackson and his fellow Verdisians are hoping that they will be out of exile soon.
“In the meantime, we are still functioning as a government and working on building international relations, although this will speed up even more when we are back on the land,” he said. “We hope to be a fully developed, internationally recognized state within a few years of being back on the land.”
The small republic can now count around 400 citizens, with a majority of ethnic Serbs and Croats
“While in exile, we still have a functioning government and continue to operate as a state,” President Jackson reassured. “Because of that, there are numerous people who are in charge of coordinating certain efforts.”
For the time being, Verdis’ economy is limited and relies on agreements with individuals interested in investing, crowdfunding, as well as its €100 citizenship application fees.
He further argued: “Croatia and Serbia recognizing Verdis would bring many benefits to the neighboring regions of Slavonia and Vojvodina, such as an increase in tourism.”
The small republic has adopted regional cultures, including its officially recognized languages, which consist of English, Croatian, and Serbian.
“We are a biscriptal country, meaning both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets are mutually official,” President Jackson said.
Verdisians have been actively providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine
Verdis’ flag is an additional nod to the Balkans, with its blue at the bottom representing the Danube River, the white in the middle representing peace and unity, and the top blue representing clear skies.
“We have made sure to be as inclusive and acknowledging as possible,” President Jackson said.
When asked about the creation of Verdis’ possibility of contributing to more tensions in the region, Daniel explained: “Verdis is a strictly neutral country, and we have made sure never to express our opinions on the politics of neighboring countries.”
“Many citizens who are ethnic Croats and Serbs just want to get along with each other.”
The ex-Yugoslavian war led to various ethnic groups fighting for independence, resulting in widespread violence, ethnic cleansing, and displacement of millions of people.
Ultimately, Verdisians are committed to getting back on the land and have the opportunity to become more involved in the state as they continue with their goals.
On May 30, the republic will be celebrating its five-yearFoundation Dayanniversary.
Bored Pandahas contacted Croatian and Serbian foreign affairs ministries for comment.
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