Daniel Jackson was 14 when he found something on a map that no one else had noticed. 🗺️
Between Croatia and Serbia lies a strip of land measuring just half a square kilometer, on the banks of the Danube River, that no country officially claims. It is called Gornja Siga, and to anyone else it would have been just a geographical curiosity. To Jackson, inspired by the worlds he built in Roblox, it was an opportunity to found a real country. Thus, in 2019, the Free Republic of Verdis was born—with its own flag, constitution, six ministries, an official currency (the euro), and even symbolic passports.
What began as a teenage experiment grew more than anyone expected: more than 15.000 people around the world applied for Verdis citizenship. But Croatia saw no humor in it. Police intercepted Jackson, expelled him from the territory, and banned him from entering for life, labeling his country a threat to national security. 🚨
Today, Verdis still has no recognition from any UN member state, and Jackson governs from exile, from afar, with citizens who vote and debate online. He insists that he has no intention of giving up.