New nation Free Republic of Liberland in no man’s land near Hungary

In accordance with international law, a group of Czech citizens, gathered in a Preparatory Committee, declared a new sovereign independent state in the no-man’s land between Serbia and Croatia on the west bank of the Danube, spreading across seven square kilometres.

Free Republic of Liberland came into existence due to a border dispute between Croatia and Serbia. This area along the west bank of the Danube River is not claimed by either Croatia or Serbia. It was therefore terra nullius, a no man’s land, until Vit Jedlicka seized the opportunity and on 13 April 2015 raised a flag to claim the land, and formed a new state in this territory. The President of the Republic, who had been elected by the Preparatory Committee, was also commissioned to send diplomatic notes not only to the two neighbouring states, but also to the United Nations and later to other countries, in order to inform them about the establishment of the new state of Liberland.

The founders of the new state are inspired by countries such as Monaco, Liechtenstein or Hong Kong, and their objective is to build a country where honest people can prosper without being oppressed by governments making their lives unpleasant through the burden of unnecessary restrictions and taxes. According to the Jedlicka, one of the reasons for founding Liberland is the ever expanding influence of interest groups on the functioning of existing states and the consequent worsening of living conditions of people.