Flag of Transnistria

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Transnistria is a region in Eastern Europe that is under the effective control of the Russian-backed Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic but is recognized by the international community as an administrative unit of Moldova, the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester. The flag of the Prinestrovian Moldovan Republic is a red-green-red triband, while the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester use the flag of Moldova.

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Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic

Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic
Flag of Transnistria (state).svg
Use State flag and ensign, war flag FIAV 011010.svg FIAV normal.svg FIAV twosided.svg
Proportion1:2
Adopted31 January 1952 (original version)
2 September 1991 (current version used)
DesignThree horizontal bands of red, green and red, with a hammer and sickle in the canton. Identical to the flag of the Moldavian SSR.
Flag of Transnistria (Russian tricolour).svg
Use Co-official national flag FIAV alternate.svg FIAV normal.svg IFIS Equal.svg
Proportion1:2
Adopted12 April 2017
DesignDuplicate of the flag of Russia, but with a different ratio (1:2 instead of 2:3)
Flag of Transnistria.svg
Use Civil flag and ensign FIAV 100100.svg FIAV variant.svg FIAV normal.svg IFIS Equal.svg FIAV reverse.svg (Reverse side of state flag/ensign)
Proportion1:2
DesignThree horizontal bands of red, green and red.
Presidential Standard of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.svg
Use Presidential standard
Proportion1:1
DesignThree horizontal bands of red, green and red bearing the coat of arms of Transnitria in the centre.
PMRCustomsNEW.png
Use Customs Flag
Proportion1:2
AdoptedUnknown
DesignThe customs flag is dark green with two thin red stripes at the bottom, representing the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic's flag. In the center, there are two crossed yellow and golden caduceuses.

The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, (Romanian : Steagul Transnistriei, Moldovan Cyrillic : Стягул Транснистрией; Russian : Флаг Приднестровья, romanized: Flag Pridnestrov'ya; Ukrainian : Прапор Придністров'я, romanized: Prapor Prydnistrov"ya), also known as Transnistria, has two co-official national flags. The first co-official national flag consists of three horizontal bands of red, green, and red, of vertical width 3:2:3, and in the upper canton, is the main element of the coat of arms of Transnistria; a golden hammer and sickle and a gold-bordered red star. The hammer and sickle fit into a conventional square, and the star, a conditional circle. Transnistria adopted this design that comprises a version of the flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic used between 1952 and 1990 in the 2000 Law about State Symbols.[ citation needed ] The second co-official national flag consists of three horizontal stripes in the colors white, blue, and red. (Russian flag at a ratio of 1:2 instead of 2:3)

The current president of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, Vadim Krasnoselsky, who self-identifies as a monarchist, has stated that he considers the Soviet symbolism in the emblems of his country to be "irrelevant". [1]

History

The flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic served as the flag of the republic until December 1991. When Moldova became independent, some places in Transnistria refused to fly the new Moldovan flag and continued to fly the flag of the Soviet Union. Continued use of the flag of the former Moldavian SSR was popular and it was officially reintroduced as the flag of Transnistria in 1991. Despite the socialist influence on the flag and coat of arms, Transnistria is not a socialist state.

The original flag, as well as its description, are kept in the official residence of the President of Transnistria. [2]

In 2009, the Supreme Council discussed a proposal to replace the civil flag – which is plain red-green-red without the hammer and sickle – with a new flag, carrying three horizontal stripes in the colours white, blue, and red, being nearly identical to the flag of the Russian Federation, but with a different aspect ratio (1:2 instead of Russia's 2:3). [3] The primary reason for the co-official national flag is that it indicates Transnistria's desire for closer ties with Russia, a guarantor of Transnistria's claimed independence from Moldova. In a 2006 referendum, 97.2% of Transnistrians were reported to have voted in favour of increased free association with Russia. The new flag is used alongside the state flag. In April 2017, the Supreme Council passed a motion making the new design Transnistria's co-official national flag. [4]

Usage

Transnistrian law permits the use of a simplified version of the flag for non-governmental use (personal and commercial usage) without the hammer and sickle and red star and regard to shape or size. The most common size is still 1:2, but 2:3 versions have also been used.

The national flag of Transnistria is permanently raised on the buildings of:

  • The Administration of the President of Transnistria;
  • The Supreme Council of Transnistria;
  • The Government of Transnistria;
  • The Constitutional Court of Transnistria;
  • the Supreme Court of Transnistria;
  • The Arbitration Court of Transnistria;
  • the Prosecutor's Office of Transnistria;
  • the Central Bank of Transnistria;
  • the Accounting Chamber of Transnistria;
  • the residence of the Commissioner for Human Rights in Transnistria;
  • the Central Election Commission of Transnistria;
  • other state authorities, as well as local representative and executive bodies of state power. [2]

Other flags

The presidential flag is a 1:1, yellow fringed version of the civil flag with the coat-of-arms in the center. It was adopted on 18 July 2000 and replaced an earlier version dating from 1997.

The army flag is a blue flag with a yellow bordered red cross. [5] It is similar to that of the Moldovan army, but does not include the Moldovan coat-of-arms.

A customs flag is also in use by Transnistrian customs. It is a primarily green flag with two red bands at the bottom. The central part of the flag is dominated by the Transnistrian coat of arms. [6] [7]

Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester

The law which formally established the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester contains provisions for the region to adopt its own symbols. [8] At present, the region has not yet adopted a distinctive flag and instead the flag of Moldova is used for official purposes. It consists of a vertical tricolor of blue, yellow, and red, charged with the coat of arms of Moldova (an eagle holding a shield charged with an aurochs) on the center bar.

See also

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References

  1. "The official website of the President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic reported that the working week of the Head of the State began with a teleconference meeting - News".
  2. 1 2 "Официальный сайт Президента Приднестровской Молдавской Республики — Закон ПМР «О ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОМ ФЛАГЕ ПРИДНЕСТРОВСКОЙ МОЛДАВСКОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКИ» — Законы". Official Site of the President of the PMR (Law of the Flag).
  3. Moldova.org: Transnistria considers broadening its state symbols Archived 18 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine (5 May 2009)
    Supreme Council - parliamentary news: On state insignia (2 June 2009)
    Supreme Council - parliamentary news: Reaffirming commitment to harmonization of PMR and RF legislation (28 May 2009)
  4. "В ПМР российский флаг разрешили использовать наравне с государственным" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 12 April 2017.
  5. Gaceta de Banderas
  6. "Государственный таможенный комитет - 31". Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  7. "Dniestr Republic (Moldova)". Flagspot.net. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  8. (In Romanian) Law No. 173 from 22.07.2005 "About main notes about the special legal status of settlements of the left bank of Dnestr (Transnistria)"