Remember me
Daniel Jackson is well aware that many consider his plan audacious, even bonkers.
At just 21, Jackson holds the title of the world's youngest political leader, surpassing Iceland's Kristrún Frostadóttir, who became prime minister at the age of 36 in 2024.
That's a stark contrast to Donald Trump, who at 79 became the oldest president ever inaugurated in US history.
When Daily Mail caught up with the leader, who comes from Melbourne, it was 10pm in the UK where he had been working at his desk since dawn.
'Being a president can be very exhausting,' he admitted.
The former Waverley Christian College student presides over the Free Republic of Verdis, a micronation he carved out in 2019 on a sliver of forest along the Danube River between Croatia and Serbia.
Accessible only by boat, the country's total area of 124 acres makes it the second smallest country in the world after Vatican City.
But the dream that made Jackson a global curiosity has come at a cost.
Daniel Jackson (pictured) has high hopes for the Free Republic of Verdis despite living in exile
The sliver of land along the Danube River is just slightly larger than Vatican city
Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir (pictured) is one of the youngest leader's of a country in the world after being elected at the age of 36
Today, Jackson lives in exile after Croatian forces swept into Verdis in October 2023 and forcibly expelled its citizens from the tiny nation he built from scratch.
The parcel of land had not been claimed due to an existing border dispute between Croatia and Serbia following the Croatian War of Independence.
It is close to Liberland, another self-proclaimed state on no man's land claimed by Czech politician Vít Jedlička in 2015 on the premise that society can flourish without the coercive taxation and regulatory overreach that plague traditional states.
Crypto billionaire Justin Sun is the prime minister of Liberland, which symbolises the utopian dream of building the 'freest nation on earth'.
Jackson said while the two micronations share similarities, their values differ.
'They're quite anarchist, Libertarian, whereas Verdis has a normal centralised government, and more views around humanitarian aid,' he said.
Jackson is pushing for international recognition of Verdis, and the lifting of Croatia's blockade.
He hopes to become increasingly involved in the global community and is actively seeking recognition from UN member and observer states.
On October 12, 2023, Jackson said Croatian authorities violated international law by entering the territory of the Free Republic of Verdis and expelling all citizens
Crypto billionaire Justin Sun (pictured) is the prime minister of Liberland, another patch of undisputed land between Croatia and Serbia
Why Croatia blockaded Verdis remains a mystery to Jackson, though the foreign ministry classifies his occupation of the land, and the Liberland project, as 'provocative actions without any basis in law'.
Authorities say security cameras installed along Verdis' coastline were part of their obligation to guard the EU's Schengen Area border.
Jackson insists Verdis has always sought to reassure Croatia of its intentions, and stressed his nation had no plans to become a haven for crime or drugs.
'We don't plan on being a hot spot for anything. We don't plan on legalising, say marijuana,' the 21-year-old said.
'We've always made it clear to Croatia that we're ready to cooperate with them to make sure that Verdis is a safe state.'
Jackson also suspects geopolitics may be at play.
'It could also be that they're using the piece of land as a bargaining chip with Serbia to get the pockets on the other side of the Danube,' he said.
Momentum is gaining with 400 Verdisian residents and 1,400 e-residents creating enough demand for Jackson to open a second office in Belgrade, Serbia.
Daniel Jackson (pictured) said without Croatia lifting the blockade it is difficult to access his micronation Verdis - which is only accessible by boat
The establishment of the micronation, including the creation of laws and a flag, began in 2019
In the past three months alone, Verdis has raised $220,000 through investors, crowdfunding and its e-residency program.
He said most of the citizens were ethnic Serbs and Croats, making the dual Australian-UK national a minority in his own country.
Jackson hopes to foster reconciliation between ethnic groups and heal historical divisions stemming from a complex history of religious and political conflicts over centuries under various empires that left deep-seated mistrust and animosity.
'Most of our citizens being ethnic Serbs and Croats... younger people are definitely much more supportive than older people from those regions,' he said.
'And especially with the experience of the Yugoslav wars it seems that younger people are much more lenient to the idea of Verdis, especially because it would bring in business to neighbouring regions.'
He plans to transform the 124-acre patch of forest and scrubby beach into a haven for global entreprenuers, enabling digital business registration similar to Estonia - and has already received some interest.
'The best ending would be for Verdis to be recognised as an independent sovereign state by the international community, to have permanent infrastructure and a growing economy,' he said.
Momentum is gaining with 400 Verdisian residents and 1400 e-residents currently calling the slice of land home. Pictured is a Verdis passport
There's little in the settlement of Verdis apart from forest and scrubby beach
'Discreetly a few governments have spoken to us, or at least started to respond to us.
'But there's a reluctance for them to go public out of concern of what could happen with their relations with Croatia if a country recognises us.'
Jackson's toughest battle will be with Croatia, which has labelled him a threat to national security.
In September, the Foreign Minister of Verdis and a group of journalists for a Serbian magazine were chased from Verdis by Croatian police illegally stationed in Verdisian waters and were almost rammed by the police boat at 60km/h.
Jackson said Verdis is not, and has never historically been part of Croatia and condemned the behaviour by Croatia as 'outrageous' and 'aggressive'.
Under the Montevideo Convention of 1933, sovereign states must meet four criteria: a permanent population, defined territory, functioning government, and the capacity to enter relations with other states.
'We're not impeding on Croatia's land, they've never considered this piece of land as part of Croatia,' he said.
'We believe what they've done is a violation of international law, because they've come on to a piece of land that they don't even consider their own, and they've effectively kicked all of the settlers.
'It's very unpredictable when it comes to the blockade being lifted but we're in it for the long run.'
One of its most high-profile supporters is Luke Black, the Serbian singer-songwriter who represented Serbia in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest
The Free Republic of Verdis has staged protests outside the Croatian embassy in London.
One of its most high-profile supporters is Luke Black, the Serbian singer-songwriter who represented Serbia in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.
Jackson said competing in Eurovision would be an ideal way to gain recognition and give the nation a voice on the international stage.
Back in Australia, Jackson said his parents have never been surprised by his Gen Z antics, including leaving his Upper Ferntree Gully home at 17 to move to the UK.
'I've definitely scared them to death half the time, especially when it came to the situation that we had with Croatia,' he said.
'It's been absolutely heartwarming to see the amount of support that we've had, because we know that what we're doing can be considered absolutely bonkers.
'But I think the world's boring without something like this happening.
'I think it's also inspiring for young people as well, to show that, yeah, even when times are bleak, it's best to just keep pushing.'