Liberia lobbies for international recognition

The self-declared state, Liberia, founded on 7 square kilometers of land between Serbia and Croatia, is determined to fight for recognition at the International Court of Justice, I CJ, The Hague. Meanwhile, Liberlanda is also preparing to open an office in Belgrade, founder and his president, Vit Jedlicka, told BIRN.

Jedlicka said Liberlanda is bigger than Iceland or Malta in terms of the number of people who have sought citizenship. He said about 470,000 people claim they belong to that country even though they do not live there.

“We have new applications every minute or every three minutes. It's wonderful. We are several hundred citizens away from the figure of 440,000”, he said. “We have about 90 offices worldwide and many of them are formalising as they are in Serbia”, he said, adding that the Liberia office in Belgrade will officially open in September.

The Free Republic of Liberia was founded in April 2015 in an unprecedented territory on the western coast of the Danube River following a border dispute between Serbia and Croatia.

While Croatia, Serbia and other states made no demands for the land, for this reason it returned to nobody's land, until Jedlicka took advantage of the opportunity and “formed the new state”. The border was determined in order not to interfere on Croatia or Serbia's territory. Jedlicka was even arrested by Croatian border police in May 2015, while trying to get to Liberia.

The BBC reported in November 2016 that Jedlick was barred from entering Liberia by 2015. The Croatian Foreign Ministry said that since Liberia was established in 2016, it has been under Croatian police surveillance because it is in delicate territory. Jedlicka said there have been no problems with Croatian authorities since the incident, and added that the Liberian government is seeking to open dialogue with Croatia. However, self-declared <x0national” seems to have stronger, though silent, support from Serbia, which said in 2015 that Liberia is not Serbian territory but will not create problems for its representatives. “People can visit Liberia easily now. The best way to get here is through the water.

People are increasingly visiting him now that there is no interference of Croatian police, which is a very good sign that our bilateral relations are in order”, Jedlicka said, adding that Lieberland will be equipped with a fifth boat Thursday through which people can visit the country. Jedlicka said Liberia will take the case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, with the help of a Belgrade lawyer who has agreed to support it for free.

“I expect recognition from international institutions, the world community and a step towards full recognition”, he said, adding that the self-declared state is supporting local activities, as is traditionally readying to participate in organisations that would include Liberia this weekend. Jedlicka said his priority currently is to lobby for Liberia's de iure recognition. And we're forming what I think is the most important thing that's happening this year -- powerful support in the American Congress and Senate, which I think is one of the keys to success. We will do the same in the EU Parliament,” said Jedlicka, adding that the Liberian government is working with individual congressmen and senators to encourage support. We've had a lot of success already.

People not only from the Republican Party but also some Democrats [support Liberia]. We've managed to get 20 American congressmen on the list of supporters... which is a good way to gain the recognition of Liberia by the United States”. Jedlicka added that Liberlanda has high-level supporters in Croatia and Serbia. Since Serbia and Croatia have been unable to make any progress after more than a decade of border dispute, Jedlicka believes that Liberia could be a good mediator between the two countries and benefit the entire region.

According to Liberia's website, it is the third sovereign “” in the world after the Vatican and Monaco, with the motto “to live and let the country boast of the individual and economic freedom of its people.

This is guaranteed by the constitution, which significantly limits the power of politicians not to interfere with the freedoms of the people. Liberland government policy “is based on freedom of ideas,” Jedlicka added.

He noted that Lieberland already has sports teams that compete at the international level. “and Miss Liberlanda ranked fourth in the Miss Freedom of the World beauty contest,” said Jedlicka, adding that the Liberland beer, which won second place at the Beer Festival in the northern Serbian town of Novi Sad, will soon be on the Serbian market.