[2015-04-15] Liberland new country in Europe links to Bitcoin

[Griegura]

I've posted this in the spanish subforum but I don't see any news about it here or anywhere at all in english, this just happened last night.

Apart from the regular fuss and sensationalist headlines , the czech politician that has created the country has no real links to bitcoin. He is member of an association that kind of talks about bitcoin but Im no expert in czech language.

This is the original link in spanish: http://sobrebitcoin.com/liberland-nuevo-estado-europeo-estudia-bitcoin-moneda-oficial/

And this is a translated version:
http://bit.ly/1J2Isbf

[1714760736]

1714760736

[1714760736]

1714760736

[1714760736]

1714760736

[1714760736]

1714760736

[1714760736]

1714760736

[Giulio Prisco]

Good article! There are discussions on adopting Bitcoin as one of the official Liberland currencies on the Liberland Forums at liberland.org.

The realist in me thinks the project doesn't have a chance because the powers that be will crush it in no time as soon as they notice, but the optimist in me keeps hoping. If Liberland survives, it could make a big impact. In particular, supporting Bitcoin would be a win-win alliance.

[bryant.coleman]

I am skeptical. Liberland is a micronation, which is just 3 days old. I don't think that any BTC adoption by a micronation will help the crypto in the long run.

[yayayo]

I am skeptical. Liberland is a micronation, which is just 3 days old. I don't think that any BTC adoption by a micronation will help the crypto in the long run.

There will be no effect, because Liberland is not even a well established micronation. Liberland is not a working de-facto regime. Has the founder even taken residence in his own country?

If Sealand adopted Bitcoin there might at least be some media coverage.

Also, a libertarian country adopting an "official" currency would seem contradictory to me.

ya.ya.yo!

[rammy2k2]

Liberland is 7km sqare ... so ... its smaller than the cities u most live in 

[Griegura]

This country before adopting Bitcoin has to get recognized but if it were recognized...

[bryant.coleman]

Liberland is 7km sqare ... so ... its smaller than the cities u most live in 

Yes. It is bigger than Sealand. But there is no micronation structure as such. The entire area is uninhabited, and even the so called "head of the state" is living outside this territory.

[Kaneki]

Good article, I was surprised a politicion could be part of the association talks about bitcoin

[Griegura]

Bitcoin Magazine picked up this info but they have another theory.
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/20033/newly-declared-european-microstate-liberland-plans-create-digital-currency/

[johnyj]

If adopted, this land will immediately have millions of citizen 

[bryant.coleman]

If adopted, this land will immediately have millions of citizen 

Could you please explain how that will happen? There are only one million or so Bitcoin users around the world. Out of that less than 1,000 can be considered as having more than 1K coins. Of that, may be 1% or 2% might be willing to move to the new country. That means no more than a dozen or two will move to Liberland.

[Bitware]

Liberpolis is the capital of Liberland. Here it is.

[Mt. Gox]

Unfortunately, micronations have a history of being bullied by surrounding larger nations which see them as a threat or a nuisance:

The Republic of Minerva was set up in 1972 as a libertarian new-country project by Nevada businessman Michael Oliver. Oliver's group conducted dredging operations at the Minerva Reefs, a shoal located in the Pacific Ocean south of Fiji. They succeeded in creating a small artificial island, but their efforts at securing international recognition met with little success, and near-neighbour Tonga sent a military force to the area and annexed it.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Minerva

The Republic of Rose Island was a 400 m2 (4,300 sq ft) platform built in 1968 in Italian national waters in the Adriatic Sea, 7 miles (11 km) off the Italian town of Rimini. It is known to have issued stamps, and to have declared Esperanto to be its official language. Shortly after completion, however, it was seized and destroyed by the Italian Navy for failing to pay state taxes.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Rose_Island

Kugelmugel is a former micronation located in Vienna, Austria.

Located in Vienna Prater, the Republic of Kugelmugel declared independence in 1984, after disputes between artist Edwin Lipburger and Austrian authorities over building permits for the ball-shaped house which he built in the countryside in Lower Austria and which was moved into the park by the authorities. The house is enclosed by a barbed-wire fence and is the only address within the proclaimed Republic. Its address is "2, Antifaschismusplatz 1" (2nd district (Leopoldstadt), "Anti-Fascism Square" No. 1), and the founder is the head of state of hundreds of non-resident citizens. Lipburger refused to pay taxes to the Austrian government and began to print his own stamps, for which he received a prison sentence in court. Only a pardon by the Austrian President saved him from going to jail.

Austrian state officials relocated the structure to the Prater park and surrounded it with barbed wire fencing.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugelmugel

If adopted, this land will immediately have millions of citizen 

Could you please explain how that will happen? There are only one million or so Bitcoin users around the world. Out of that less than 1,000 can be considered as having more than 1K coins. Of that, may be 1% or 2% might be willing to move to the new country. That means no more than a dozen or two will move to Liberland.

Not to mention that land area (3 sq mi) won't be able to hold more than a few thousand people anyway.

[bryant.coleman]

Unfortunately, micronations have a history of being bullied by surrounding larger nations which see them as a threat or a nuisance

There were valid reasons. In the case of the Republic of Rose Island, the micronation was located inside the Italian Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and therefore it was easy for Italy to justify its aggression. The same logic is applicable to the Republic of Minerva as well.

[Mt. Gox]

The same logic is applicable to the Republic of Minerva as well.

The islands were originally submerged in the middle of the ocean and in international waters. It wasn't until the micronation was formally established that Tonga decided to invade. Later on, Fiji and Tonga argued over who would own the islands:

In 1972, the Las Vegas millionaire Michael Oliver founded his own anarcho-libertarian nation at the Minerva reefs in the Pacific ocean. The reefs were at the time submerged, and in international waters. Oliver was dreaming about a nation without any governmental interference at all; no taxation, policing, social support systems or any element of control. Barges were loaded with sand from Australia and dumped on the reefs, until they penetrated the surface and became land mass. Oliver then wrote the neighbouring nations, declaring that a new independent nation was born; The republic of Minerva. This declaration was viewed with suspicion from the neighbours, who convened behind the back of the Minervians, and declared the reef to be a part of Tonga. Tonga invaded the nation and forced Oliver of the land. As of today, the national identity of the Minerva reefs is still being debated.

Link: http://burningland.org/micronations-what-and-why/

After reading the article, Liberland probably has a greater chance of surviving since the land isn't claimed by any existing country but I wouldn't be surprised if either Serbia or Croatia change their minds and decide to annex it for themselves if it is ever developed into anything significant or economically valuable.

[bryant.coleman]

After reading the article, Liberland probably has a greater chance of surviving since the land isn't claimed by any existing country but I wouldn't be surprised if either Serbia or Croatia change their minds and decide to annex it for themselves if it is ever developed into anything significant or economically valuable.

The Liberland situation is complex. Croatia is refusing to administer the region, which according to the international law is falling within its boundary. They are arguing that they should be given a larger chunk of the neighboring land (currently being administered by Serbia) in exchange for this portion. Serbia refuses. Reminds me of the Bir Tawil situation.