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Dubrovnik-Neretva County (Croatia)

Dubrovacko-Neretvanska zupanija

Last modified: 2008-09-20 by dov gutterman
Keywords: dubrovnik | neretva | dubrovacko-neretvanska | zupanija | croatia | tower | boat | trupica |
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[Flag of Dubrovnik-Neretva](1:2)
image by Željko Heimer



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  • Collection of Croatian Local Flags at FAME

County Flag

Dubrovacko-Neretvanska zupanija - Southernmost county including its capital Dubrovnik, and the parts around it in a part of Croatia that has no land connection with the rest of it, because of 4 km long Bosnian coast around Neum, and the part north of it, around river Neretva (called Narent in old texts), including port of Ploce - with strategic importance to Bosnian convoys.
The flag of the county was briefly shown, but here is the description: horizonatlly divided red over white with the Coat of Arms of the county: quatered, 1st and 4th: Dubrovnik - Barry Gules and Argent, 2nd: Neretva - Trupica (kind of kayak) Argent on Azure, 3rd: Korcula - Azure, tower with entrance Argent.
The actual flag that was showed was vertically hoisted, so the shield was rotated 90 degrees.
Željko Heimer, 13 May 1996

The County of Dubrovnik and Neretva (Dubrovac<ko-neretvanska z<upanija) adopted the coat of arms and the flag on the county assembly session held on 29 February and 5 March 1996 (source 1). The decision became valid 8 days after publication in the official gazette (Sluzbeni glasnik Zupanije Dubrovacko-Neretvanske), but I do not have the date of its publication.
The Ministry of Administration approved the flag and coat of arms on 19 April 1996. (source 2).
The Coat of Arms is: quartered, 1. and 4. barry of 4 gules and argent (together giving 8 bars representing historical coa of Dubrovnik); 2. Azure a _trupica_ with an oar Argent (trupica bing a traditional small vessel used by people of the Neretva delta); 3. Azure a towers Argent (towers being a composition of several tipical towers of the city of Korc<ula, on island of the same name). The (fibriation) line bordering, lining and dividing elements of the shield is prescribed black.
The flag is horizontal bicolour of red over white with the Coat of Arms in the middle, bordered with golden line. The horizontal dimension of the Coat of Arms is 1/5 of the flag length, and flag is in ratio 1:2.
Sources:
1. Odluka o grbu, zastavi i danu Zupanije Dubrovacko-Neretvanske, 5 ozujka 1996. (Decision on the coat of arms, the flag and the day of the County, 5 march 1996)
2. Rjesenje Ministarstva uprave, Kl. UP/I-017-02/96-01/15, Ur. br. 515-04-03/1-96-1, 19. travnja 1996. (Approval of the Ministry of Administration, 19 April 1996)
3. Grb i zastava Zupanije Dubrovacko-Neretvanske (uz Odluku o grbu i zastavi Zupanije Dubrovacko-Neretvanske), Tajnistvo Zupanije, Dubrovnik, prosinac 1995. (materials prepaired by the county secretary for the assembly, December 1995)
Željko Heimer, 17 june 1999

According to the on-line official gazette of the County, there is an aditional decision regarding the flag from 1998. Also I may add some details regarding the 1996 decision, i.e. the issue of the gazette when it was issued:   Odluka o grbu, zastavi i danu Županije Dubrovacko-Neretvanske, Dubrovnik, 5. ožujka 1996. Službeni glasnik Dubrovacko-neretvanske županije, br. 1/96.  
The new decision is: Odluka o izmjeni Odluke o grbu, zastavi i danu Županije Dubrovacko- Neretvanske, Dubrovnik, 8. listopada 1998. Službeni glasnik Dubrovacko-neretvanske županije, br. 8/98, 25. listopada 1998.
The new decision alters the article 9 of the 1996 decision regarding the display order of flag when the flags of Croatia, County and local communities are displayed together. Namely the 1996 decision apparently mixed up left and right side there (prescribes that the county flag is set to the viewer's left of the Croatian flag, to the viewer's right from a city or a community flag, and when three are displayed then as viewed: city/community-Croatia-County). This is, of course, just the opposite as should be, and probably when it was noticed the 1998 decision was made to correct it (now prescribing that the county flag is set to the viewer's right of the Croatian flag, to the viewer's left from a city or a community flag, and when three are displayed then as viewed: County-Croatia-city/community).  
Željko Heimer, 20 March 2005


Ceremonial Flag


image by Željko Heimer, 29 Febuary 2004

Watching the news today, I saw a celebration of the County Day (St. Leopol Manic Day). There was visible ceremonial flag of the Dubrovni and Neretva County which I was not aware of beofre. It does not apear in the county legislation on coat of arms and flag of 1996 on which I reported earlier, and it was probably made afterwards. The ceremonial flag is vertical banner in gonfanon form hoisted from a crossbar, divided horisontally red over white with county coat of arms in the middle surrounded with floral mantle of white and light blue and with three line red inscription in base ŽUPANIJA DUBROVACKO NERETVANSKA, the first word being somewhat smaller. The banner end in base with three arched tails, the middle one being longer. There is silver fringe all around. Overall ratio seemd at glance around 2:3 or so.
Željko Heimer, 11 May 2002

The county secretary Ružica Miškovic, wrote on 19 Febuary 2004, informing me that the flag I described in my request is indeed the ceremonial flag of the County. It was designed and manufactured by Mladen Šlezak and prof. Siniša Reberski (Academy of Arts, Zagreb), both from Zagreb. It was manufactured in 1996. It is displayed only in ceremonious occasions in the County assembly and similar appropriate events.
They send me a photo of the flag. It is a gonfalon with three tails in the fly, divided into red over white with the coat of arms within a heraldic floral mantle of azure and argent. The year of the formation of the county '1992.' is inscribed above in white numerals and the name of the county below in red letters in three rows 'ŽUPANIJA/DUBROVACKO/NERETVANSKA' and the flag is bordered in gold, fringed along the bottom and with three tassels.
They also informed me that they established an other ceremonial flag  in 2002 - the ceremonial ecclesiastic flag of the County, picturing the parton of the County, St. Leopold Bogan Mandic, that is used during the religious ceremonies. The saints day is also the Day of the County, 12th May. I believe that the flag is also a golfanon that is used in processions (like the one when I spotted the ceremonial flag in the first place), of red field bordered and fringed golden and with a rectangular central pannel with the picture of the patron saint.
Željko Heimer, 29 Febuary 2004


Coat of Arms


image by Željko Heimer