Adopted 9 April 2005 | Proportion 1:2 | |
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Name Тробојка / Trobojka (Tricolour) Design A horizontal tricolour of red, blue, and white | ||
Flag of Serbs of Croatia (Serbian: Застава Срба у Хрватској / Zastava Srba u Hrvatskoj) is ethnic flag of Serbs of Croatia which was introduced into official use on 9 April 2005 based on decision of Serb National Council with consent of Council for National Minorities of Republic of Croatia.
Contents
Flag of Serbs of Croatia is similar to the flag of the Republic of Serbia but has no coat of arms just like Flag of Republika Srpska. Flag was handed over to representatives of Serbian minority in Croatia by Serbian Ambassador in Croatia on 8. July 2005 at ceremony organised on occasion of adoption of new flag. In this way new flag gain additional legitimacy in the Serbian community.
Flag of Serbs of Croatia also use the Joint Council of Municipalities which is one of the founders of Serb National Council. However, this body regulate also coat of arms appearance in its statute which can be used with flag. At the same time the Serb National Council has not yet adopted coat of arms of Serbs of Croatia, but according to statement of Milorad Pupovac, this new joint coat of arms will probably contain symbols of Military Frontier.
Flag protocol
Flag protocol is prescribed by Serb National Council Decision on flag of Serbian national minority in Croatia. Flag of Serbs of Croatia should be used in accordance with this decision in a way that emphasises dignity and honor of Serbian people. It is prohibited to stand dilapidated, untidy, torn or in any other way damaged flag.
History
The Tricolour flag (Serbian Cyrillic: Тробојка) appeared in 1835. Sretenje Constitution of Principality of Serbia described the colours of the Serbian flag as bright red, white and čelikasto-ugasita (that could be translated as steelish-dark). The constitution was criticised, especially by Russia, and the flag was specifically singled out as being similar to the revolutionary flag of France. Soon afterwards, Miloš Obrenović was requesting to the Porte that the new constitution should contain an article about the flag and coat of arms, and subsequent ferman (1835) allowed Serbs to use their own maritime flag, which will have "upper part of red, middle of blue, and lower of white", which is the first appearance of the colours which have remained until today.