WikiPortallus: Flag of Serbia.html

The flag of Serbia is a tricolour with Pan-Slavic colours, with three equal horizontal fields, red on the top, blue in the middle and white on the bottom, which is really the flag of Russia upside down. The same tricolour, in a number of variations, was the flag of Serbia throughout history, and is the National flag of Serbs. On the State flag there is a small Coat of arms of Serbia centered vertically and located left of center by one-seventh of the flag's length¹.

A similar flag was also used between 1882, when Serbia was proclaimed a kingdom, and abandoned in 1918, when it joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. In 1945, Serbia became a republic within the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and a communist star was added to the middle, was officially dropped in 1992. The current form of the flag was officially adopted on August 16, 2004 in form of recommendation issued by the Parliament of Serbia². By adoption of the new Constitution of Serbia on November 8 2006, its usage became constitutionally sanctioned (along with the coat of arms and anthem), and the state and national (popular) flag were equalized³. The version without the Coat of arms was used as the State and the National (civil) flag, and since continued to be used as a National Flag only.

Design

The flag ratio is 2:3 (height/width), with the three colours each taking one third of the height. Recommended colours, starting from the top, are⁴:

The flag has small Coat of Arms of Serbia centered vertically and located left of center by one-seventh of the length of the flag.¹

Official government flags

Standards

History

Medieval flags

Flag of Vladislav

The oldest known description of a flag of Serbia is from 1281 description of treasury of king Stefan Vladislav, which was kept in Dubrovnik Republic. The description lists vexillum unum de zendato rubeo et blavo - a flag of fabric red and blue.⁵ We however don't know how were the colors patterned; horizontal diband shown to the right is sometimes used in commemorations of medieval events in Serbia⁶. As Vladislav ruled from 1234 to 1243 and died after 1264, the flag was used earlier than it was described, around the middle XIII century.

Flag of Tsar Dusan

The oldest known drawing of a flag of Serbia is from the 1339 map of Angelino Dulcert. The map depicts a number of flags, and Serbia is represented by a flag placed above Skoplje (Skopi) with the name Serbia (Seruja) near the hoist, which was characteristic for capital cities at the time of the drawing of the map. The flag is red two-headed eagle on a yellow field.⁷

Flags of the First Serbian Uprising

During the First Serbian Uprising, a large variety of flags was used. Among the early flags, the one described by Mateja Nenadović could be connected with today's flag: it was white-red-blue with three crosses⁸. Regular army of the uprising usually had light yellow flags with various symbols, while voivode flags were often red-white, made of silk, and defaced with black two-headed eagle from the coat of arms of Russia. There were also flags of other colors, including red-yellow, red-white-blue and red-blue. This variety of colors was followed by variety of symbols on the flags, most often taken from Hristofor Žefarović's Stematography. The most common symbol on the flags is Serbian cross, followed by coat of arms of Tribalia and various other crosses.⁹

Modern flags

First introduction

1835 Sretenje Constitution prescribed the flag of Serbia as horizontal tricolour of red, white and steel blue (čelikasto-ugasita) stripes. The constitution was criticized, especially by Russia, and the flag was specifically singled out as being similar to the revolutionary flag of France¹⁰. Soon afterwards, Miloš Obrenović was requesting to the Porte that the new constitution should contain an article about the flag and coat of arms¹¹, 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 colour"¹², which is the first appearance of the colors which has remained until today.

The colors are exactly reverse of those on the flag of Russia, and various popular stories exist in Serbia which seek to explain why. An example:¹³

Flag of the Kingdom of Serbia (1882-1918)

Kingdom of Serbia used the same tricolour with the big coat of arms. The merchant ensign contained only the shield and the crown of the big coat of arms, therefore closely resembling the today's flag.

Flag of the Socialist Republic of Serbia (1945-1992)

Flag of Republic of Serbia (1992-2004)

After the breakup of Yugoslavia, the red star was removed in 1992 ¹⁶from the flag.¹⁴ The official dimensions were 1:2 as it was usual in the former Yugoslavia.

Flag of the Serbian Orthodox church

Proper flag protocol

National Flag

The people's flag of Serbia is constantly flown on the entrance of the National Assembly and organs of provinces and public services. It has to be displayed in an election room during an election for provincial or local organs.¹⁷

Also, it can be hoisted during celebrations and other cultural or sport manifestations, and on other occasions¹⁸.

State Flag

The state flag of Serbia is constantly flown on the entrance of a building of a state organ of Serbia, and displayed in their rooms. The National Assembly flies it only when in session and during state holidays. Organs of provinces, Vojvodina and (in theory) Kosovo and Metohija, fly it only on state holidays.¹⁹

It can also be flown during celebrations and other solemn manifestations which mark events of importance for Serbia, and on other occasions²⁰. During days of mourning, it is flown at half mast but only by provincial and local organs and public services²¹.

The flag also has to be displayed in an election room during an election for state bodies²² and in the room of civil registry dedicated for marriage (the registrar has to carry a sash with flag colors as well)²³.

Other flags

Respect for the flag

Neither the state flag nor the people's flag can be hoisted so that they touch the ground, nor be used as rests, tablecloths, carpets or curtains, nor to cover vehicles or other objects, nor to attire speaker platforms or tables, except as table flags. They must not be used if damaged or otherwise look unsuitable for use.²⁵

Handling of the flag

The flag is not flown in bad weather conditions. Also, it is flown only in daylight, unless it's illuminated. ²⁶

If the flag is flown vertically on a table or otherwise, its top field is on the left side of the viewer. If it is flown vertically across a street or square, its top field should be on the northern side if the street has east-west orientation, and eastern side if it has north-south orientation or on a circular square.²⁷

Correct display

The law defines how the flag of Serbia is displayed along with other flags, making no difference between state flags and other kinds of flags.

If the flag is hoisted with another flag, it is always on the viewer's left, except during an official visit of a representative of another country or an international organization, when the flag of the visitor is it is on the viewer's left. If the flag is hoisted with another on crossed staffs, its staff must be the front one.

If the flag of Serbia is hoisted along with two flags, it must be in the middle.

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