Prague, Dec 14 (CTK) – The self-proclaimed micro-state Liberland opened its permanent representation to the Czech Republic in Prague on Wednesday, its president Vit Jedlicka, who declared the state in a no man’s land between Croatia and Serbia in April 2015, told a press conference on Wednesday.
He said the new representation of Liberland is to develop relations with politicians and diplomats in the Czech Republic and provide services to Czechs who apply for Liberland’s citizenship.
Jedlicka said 10,000 Czechs have applied for the citizenship so far. In total, the Free Republic of Liberland has received 115,000 applications for citizenship.
Liberland has more than 80 diplomatic offices all over the world, including one in the house of Italian opposition leader Beppe Grillo (Five Start Movement), Jedlicka said. The Prague representation is seated in a villa in which the Danish ambassador had its residence, he added.
He presented two new ministers of the Liberland government. Thomas Walls, who worked at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, is foreign minister, and Denis Pirc, from Slovenia, is interior minister. Walls will focus on launching diplomatic relations with world’s countries, Pirc wants to start issuing licence plates for vehicles of Liberland citizens in January.
Jedlicka declared Liberland in a “no man’s land” for which Croatia and Serbia have been disputing for years – on the area of seven square kilometres along the Danube river, west of the Serbian town Sombor.
Croatia claims that the land is Serb territory, but Serbia rejects this as it would lose several other disputed areas along the Danube due to it. However, experts in international law share the view that Liberland was established in a territory where the borders are not clearly defined, yet this land is not without an owner.
Oner year ago, Jedlicka introduced three Liberland ministers. Last March, he introduced the state’s new currency called Merit and presented the first company listed in the Liberland business register.
