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Slovakian Flag laws

Slovensko

Last modified: 2012-01-13 by andrew weeks
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National Flaglaws

Law of the National council of the Slovak Republic, 18 February 1993 relative to the state symbols of the Slovak Republic [SR] and their use.

The state flag of the Slovak Republic

§ 7 The representation of the flag of the Slovak Republic

1- The state flag consists of three horizontal stripes - white, blue and red - of equal width, one above the other. The state coat of arms is displayed in the middle at the hoist of the state flag. The coat of arms on the state flag is at equal distance from the top of the flag, the bottom of the flag and the hoist side of the flag, its height is equal to the half of the height of the flag. The coat of arms is white fimbriated, where parts of it touch another colour than the white one. The fimbriation is equal to 1/100th of the length of the flag. The drawing of the coat of arms on the state flag has no drawing lines [=no black lines]. The ratio height/length is 2:3.

2- The reproduction of the state flag is displayed at the annex 2 of the present law.

3- It is allowed to use the state flag in the form of a banner.

§ 8 Use of the state flag

1- The state flag is running up on a hoist.
2- The state organs and institutions, as well as the organs of the local autonomy are using the state flag for the state days as well as the commemorative days. The state organs of the SR are acting on the same manner also on their buildings where they are sitting even when this is not a state or commemorative day.
3- The order to hoist the state flag is given by:
    a- the ministry of the interior
    b- the municipality, if this is an official event on a local level

4- For international events, the state flag is put in the middle if the number of flags is odd, in the left in the middle couple, if the number is not odd, when facing the flags.

5- If this is a remarkable event for the SR or an event on the local level, the state flag is always to be used. The flag of another country is hoisted if the official delegation of this state is present; in that case, the place of honour belongs to the state flag, in the left when facing the flag.

6- If the state flag is used together with a municipal flag, they are side by side together, at an equal height, the state flag is located on the left when facing the flags.

7- No ornament, inscriptions, ribbon, etc... are put neither on the state flag, nor on the hoist. On a public place, the hoist is placed on the right of the desk of the speaker.

8- In case of national mourning, the state flag is at half-mast. In the case of a funeral, the flag is taken before the coffin goes in the grave or in the crematorium.

9- The state flag shall not be used when torn up or dirty. It is not allowed to tie it as a cockade.

10- The state flag is hoisted in a continuous movement, slowly, with dignity; it shall not touch the ground.

11- These disposal do not concern neither the usages for the flying of flags on diplomatic buildings, permanent missions and consular offices of foreign states, nor the usages in force during the international meetings, etc...

§ 9

    The flying of flags can begin as soon as 18.00 the day before the event and can end as late as 8.00 the day after. Municipalities are acting in the same manner.
 

The banner of the state

§ 10

1- The banner of the state is based on the model of the state flag. It is always fixed at a hoist of a crossbar. Its height shall not be more than the triple of its width.

2- If the banner is vertically hoisted, the coat of arms is also vertical.

3- The drawing of the state banner is to be found at the annex 3 of the present law.

4- The disposals of § 7, except the paragraphs 1,8, and 10 are also valid for the state banner.

§ 11

1- The disposals of the § 3, except the paragraphs 1, g are also valid for the state banner.
2- The people and the legal entities can use the state flag and the state banner, however their use shall be made with dignity and with the respect given to the state symbols of the SR.

(...)

    According to the drawing of the laws, if the flag has the dimensions 12 on 18 units, the height of the coat of arms is 6, it is from 3 units from the top and the hoist side of the flag. The colours are W, B+ and R.  If the flag is used vertically, the top of the shield, still vertical and in the middle of the blue stripe, is at 3 units of the top of the flag. On the banner , proportions 1:3 (maximum), the shield is ca at 1/3 of the length of the flag, still in the middle, it is also the same if the banner is hoisted vertically (in that case the shield is still vertical).

Sources:

  • Zákon Národnej rady Slovenskej republiky o štátnych symboloch Slovenskej republiky a ich použivani, n°63. Zbierka za'konov Slovenskej republiky, 22. marca 1993.
  • "Loi du Conseil national de la république slovaque du 18 février 1993 relative aux symboles d'Etat de la République slovaque et leur usage", Le cabinet des drapeaux communique, 5/98, Berlin 12th January 1998.

Pascal Vagnat,  23 May 1999
 

Local Flaglaws

Law of the Slovak republic #369/1990 of 6 September 1990, completed with the decree #57 of 22 November 1990. Law #369/1990 contains §22 which says "The towns are using with their name the title of "town". In the town administration is used the town seal, town coat of arms, the town insignia and the town flag". The use of these symbols is described in the law of the Slovak Republic #51/1990. The use of the symbols of the town is described in the written status of the town.

About the coats of arms and flags of the Slovak towns, it shall be known that all these were made by a Heraldic commission of the Slovak republic, working since the years 1970, ending its work in 1990. The flags were made on the basis of the main colors of the coats of arms. The design of the flags (swallow-tailed) was made after an enquiry of the Heraldic commission in official historical documents and in the museums of the republic. The town flag always has to have the same shape, so the distinction has to be with the colors. The Commission did not want that towns proposed flags because of the risk that the said flag be identical with the flag of another town.

The symbols of a town are:
- the coat of arms (mestský erb)
- the seal (pečat mesta)
- the flag (vlajka mesta) showing the colors of the town. Proportions 2:3 (mestské farby), that is the colors of the coat of arms
- the banner of the arms [a square flag] (znaková zástava mesta)
- the flag of the mayor [square flag with the border shown on the Slovak presidential flag in the colors of the town] (Štandarda primátora mesta)
- the flag with the colors of the town [wider than the flag of the town] (zástava v mestských farbách) Proportions 1:3
- the banner with the colors of the town (korúhva v mestských farbách) Proportions 3:1
- the banner with a square banner of the arms on top (kombinovana korúhva) Proportions 3:1
- the banner-flag (krátka zástava v mestských farbách) Proportions 2:1

Source: - Kartous, P.; Novák, J.; Vrteľ, L. : "A vlajky miest v Slovenskej republike", Bratislava, Vydavatel'stvo obzor ministerstvo vnútra sr, 1991. ISBN 80-215-0091-3
Pascal Vagnat, 25 July 1999