Sold a self-proclaimed “microstates” off the coast of Britain

Posted on May 13, 2012

For sale in the North Sea in the vicinity of the British Isles exhibiting self-proclaimed “microstates”, RIA “Novosti” with reference to Reuters.

This was the “country Silandii” (Sealand), which translated literally means “sea land”. Rather, on the construction of the sea during the Second World War, the platform of the two towers and anti-aircraft batteries on the top tier. On air defense was tasked to meet flak Luftwaffe bombers in the early approaches to the British Isles.

More than 40 years ago, a retired British Army Major Paddy Roy Bates (Paddy Roy Bates) unauthorized possession of an abandoned military fort is about 11 kilometers from the British territorial waters and resettled there with his family.

Bates is not just settled on the platform, turned into a family “castle,” but declared himself the “prince”, and former defense outpost – “principality Silandiya” with his national flag, stamps, currency, passports and even pieces of gold and silver coinage.

Major and his family had to even fight, beating off the enemy assaults. Bates first repelled the British Royal Navy attempted to evict them from the platform. Later, in 1978, they were able to defend the right to own property in the face of a coordinated attack of West German and Dutch businessmen, “laid eyes” on strategically located fortified “house-to-ship.”

Now the 85-year-old Bates retired and handed the reins to his son Silandiey – “Prince” Michael. On Monday, Michael Bates told the British broadcaster BBC that the family turned to real estate agents who have appeared clients interested in buying “is not just the land, and property rights of autonomy.”

In response to “prince”, in his own words, put forward the idea that in 16 rooms of the fort, you can create complex online gambling or offshore banking company. At the same time he began to extol the virtues of his property, which indicates the willingness to part with it. “From us a great view of the sea, – said 54-year-old Michael. – Besides, the neighbors did not hear.”