A Czech man has claimed he’s created a whole new country.
Located on the west bank of the Danube, a 7-square kilometre bit of of land between Serbia and Croatia is now the sovereign state of Liberland.
Vit Jedlicka, a member of the Eurosceptic, conservative Party of Free Citizens, has taken the “liberty” of naming the stretch of no-man’s land and of naming himself its president.
Its motto is “To live and let live,” and if you want to be a part of the Liberland way of life, you can apply online for citizenship. Perks include living in a country without “unnecessary restrictions and taxes.”
But if you’re a communist or a Nazi, you can expect to be rejected.
The country’s website states Liberland needs people who:
– Have respect for other people and respect the opinions of others, regardless of race, ethnicity, orientation or religion.
– Have respect for private ownership, which is untouchable.
– Do not have a communist, Nazi or other extremist past.
– Were not punished for criminal offences
Is it a joke?
Well, kind of. In an interview with TIME Magazine, Jedlicka admitted that the whole thing initially began as a publicity stunt in attempt to attract media attention. “It started a little bit like a protest. But now it’s really turning out to be a real project with real support,” says Jedlicka.
So far, Croatia and Serbia are yet to respond the creation of the “country.” Neither country has ever held full sovereignty over the area, and 31-year-old Jedlicka subsequently claims that the new country has been created entirely within the boundaries of international law.
The country has reportedly already received around 20,000 applications for citizenship, and Jedlicka will only allow between 3,000 and 5,000 people to be granted citizenship over the coming weeks.
The current population stands at seven. Talk about the chance to be a big fish in a small pond…
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