The story of Giorgio Rosa, an eclectic engineer from Rimini, is true. They even made a film out of it, “L'Isola delle Rose”. All this takes place in the Romagna Riviera. It was 1968. The chronicles tell: a young engineer, oppressed by an intrusive state that prevents young people from freedom and self-management, decides to put his studies to good use. At 11,612 meters from the shoreline, it builds a floating platform of 400 square meters, outside Italian territorial waters. No one will be able to tell him anything, according to his assessments. Indeed, it does more.
State of the Isle of Roses
On May 1, 1968, it proclaims itself an Independent State: “Libera Teritorio de la Insula de la Rozoj”. Official language Esperanto. Postal issue and passports. The world will talk about it. An avalanche of applications for citizenship from all continents, including the United States. The Minister of the Interior at the time, a hardened Christian Democrat, Franco Restivo, the Prime Minister was Giovanni Leone, even receives a call from the UN to respect and substantially recognize that micronation. A sort of global fool. Fearing the shadow of itself, the Government of the time gives the order to "buy" in some way, with gifts and concessions, the direct supporters of the engineer Rosa, to try to make him desist, forcing him to abandon the artificial island built in middle of international waters, outside the jurisdiction of the Leone government. He, the stubborn engineer, who declared himself president of the Free State of the Isola delle Rose, however, did not give up. He runs to Strasbourg, to the Council of Europe, which listens to him in plenary. International and maritime law is not against that floating platform which has declared itself a free state. The Italian State, however, in the middle of the sea did not want anything to disturb the peace and navigation. In reality, the Christian Democrat state did not want libertine temptations a stone's throw from home. It took three years, but finally the state, strong with the weak and weak with the strong, will solemnly declare war on the Rose Isle State.
Island-state bombed
