The Article covered several aspects of Liberland. The first aspect being how the land was claimed. Liberland is a three square mile plot of land that runs along the Danube River. The land was once a part of Serbia before the Danube was re-engineered to be straighter and deeper for improved travel of larger boats. Originally the Danube had provided a natural border for both Croatia and Serbia. Liberland is a plot of land that ended up being separated from Serbia after the river was rerouted. This is how the plot became terra nullius or no man’s land. Vit Jedlicka saw this a prime opportunity to seize land for his aspirations of a libertarian paradise.

The NY Times article also discussed the President of the new micronation. Vit Jedlicka was described as a different kind of leader than others who had tried and failed to start micronations. And it pointed out the fact the he had actually discovered and claimed land that was genuinely no man’s land.

The article went on to cover the background of the President, how he founded the land and some of the main principles he lives by.

Diplomacy and the Liberland Settlement Association were also a hot topic. Liberland is still fighting for recognition around the world and their diplomacy efforts are discussed in the article. The Liberland Settlement Association is a group that has challenged Vit Jedlicka’s Presidency. The Liberland Settlement Association (LSA) is actually a limited liability company incorporated in Switzerland. Their Leader is a Bitcoin trader by the name of Niklas Nikolajsen. The LSA deems Liberland not libertarian enough and hopes to one day take over the leadership of the micronation.

The article reads much like a story. The author is very descriptive. The President is described like this:

The President is a sturdy man of thickening athletic build, with blond hair and a reddish blond goatee that diminishes up his high-colored cheeks into blond peach fuzz and then asserts itself anew as bright blond bushy eyebrows over long platinum lashes. He is a soft spoken, gentle ruler, well mannered and with a schoolboyish eagerness to please.

Overall the micronation of Liberland is off to a great start and the article is only helping. Hundreds of thousands of citizenship applications have already been received. Jedlicka has asserted that any exposure, good or bad is good for Liberland and will help the cause. The article is quite lengthy, but it’s a good read and by the looks of it you better brush up on your Liberland knowledge. Because everyone is talking about the newest micronation and it’s leader.

Source:  NY Times.

(The featured picture is of President Jedlicka with the CEO and Founder of Follow My Vote, Adam Ernest. It was taken at Freedom Fest 2015. Read about here!)

About the author: Will Long is the Marketing Manager of Follow My Vote.

The post Liberland: The Micronation That Continues To Attract Attention From All Over The World. appeared first on Follow My Vote.

The Details

Formerly referred to as “Gornjia Siga,” the self-declared sovereign state is located on 3 sq mil between Croatia and Serbia. Vít Jedlička, regional party leader of one of the Czech Republic’s northern districts, seized the opportunity in response to the Croatian and Serbian border dispute. The boundary was defined so as not to interfere with the territory borders of either Croatia or Serbia.

Liberland was founded on the principles of personal and economic freedom, and has drafted a Constitution that severely limits the power of politicians. Their motto is “To Live and Let Live.” According to the wikipedia page, Jedlička did this with support from his own political party, as well as the Civic Democratic Party and the Pirate Party.

The Government

The tiny new state has outlined a very liberal government structure, starting with the government size: suggested 10-20 members. According to the official website, the only people who are not eligible for application are communists, neonazzis, and extremists. Liberland wants to promote honesty and righteousness without being burdened by taxes and regulations.

The proposed government is three-powered, with legislative, executive, and judicial branches that all seek to promote individual rights. The drafted Constitution outlines such crimes as manslaughter, theft, and “polluting environment.”

Reception

According to The Verge, Jedlička, the country’s president, makes the infant nation seem like an experiment. The country was formed as a way to “find out the minimum amount of taxes and regulation needed to live.” The article goes on to say, “Any services or civic institutions — firefighters, banks, cell phone service — will be provided on a strictly volunteer basis. If you were going to sketch out a libertarian paradise, this is basically what it would look like.”

From the Washington Post, who got their information from local news sources and Liberland’s facebook page, Jedlička was recently detained when trying to enter the two-month old state. Even though the 7 sq km was formerly a terra nullius, no-man’s-land, neither of the bordering countries are willing to let anyone in, including the president. Jedlička previously tried to enter Liberland by boat from Serbia, and was returned to the Serbian coast by guards.

Becoming A Part

It isn’t difficult to apply for citizenship. The qualifications required, listed on the official websited, are

• have respect for other people and respect the opinions of others, regardless of their race, ethnicity, orientation, or religion
• have respect for private ownership which is untouchable
• do not have communist, nazi or other extremist past
• were not punished for past criminal offenses

If you meet these qualifications and are interested in a place where taxes are voluntary and a military is nonexistent, you can fill out and submit an application electronically.

Liberland is currently accepting donations to help get the country off the ground, including Bitcoin.

News and Updates.

If you are interested in more Liberland content see our post on the Petition To Establish U.S. Diplomatic Relations With Liberland.

The President of Liberland recently visited the US and made a pit-stop at Freedom Fest 2015. Follow My Vote Founder and CEO, Adam Ernest was able to meet with President Jedlička at Freedom Fest.

Check out the picture above and the video below, which are both from the event, and make sure to see our post on Freedom Fest 2015 for the full coverage of the conference and Liberland interaction.

About the Author: Maggie Vaillant is a content creator and editor for Follow My Vote. She is committed to making as much information available to the world about the world as possible.

The post The Beginning Of Liberland appeared first on Follow My Vote.