Man who founded his own country opens “embassy” on UK high street

Daniel Jackson, 21, first thought up the idea of starting his own country with a group of friends aged just 14. Photo: Tony Kershaw / SWNS

A 21-year-old man who declared himself president of a self-proclaimed country in the Balkans has opened an embassy, on his local high street in Kent.

Daniel Jackson says he founded the so-called Free Republic of Verdis after identifying a disputed pocket of land along the Danube River not formally claimed by Croatia or Serbia. He declared the micronation in 2019, building on an idea he first had at the age of 14.

The office buzzer says: ‘Verdis – representative office. Photo: Tony Kershaw / SWNS

Jackson has since opened two «representative offices», one in Dover and another in Novi Sad, Serbia, which he describes as embassies until the territory is officially recognised. The offices handle administrative tasks such as issuing ID cards and passports for people enrolled in Verdis’s e-residency programme.

The unrecognised state claims an area of just 0.5 square kilometres, which would make it one of the smallest countries in the world. However, access to the land remains limited, with Jackson saying attempts to settle there have been blocked and that he is banned from Croatia.

The country’s total area is 0.501km2, around 125 acres, which would make it the second smallest country in the world – just behind Vatican City. Photo: Tony Kershaw / SWNS

Despite the lack of recognition, Jackson says the project has attracted hundreds of official citizens and thousands of online followers. Through crowdfunding and e-residency applications, he claims the initiative has raised significant funding and continues to expand, with plans to open additional offices abroad.

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