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Opatija (The Coast-Gorski Kotar, Croatia)

Grad Opatija

image by Željko Heimer, 19 August 2003

Overview
Ceremonial Flag
Coat of Arms
Symbols of 1995

See also:

Other sites:

Collection of Croatian Local Flags at FAME

Overview

The coat of arms of Opatija pictures a white seagull with red beak and claws standing on top of a white tower on a cliff in blue field with blue and white waves in base. All is bordered in gold and with a golden ribbon bearing the city name in black below. The flag is reportedly blue with coat of arms in the middle, but is not fully confirmed. Adopted: around 1995 (?).
Source: City of Opatija ad in Globus, no. 354, 19. Septebmer 1997.
Željko Heimer

Oštric Goroslav [osg02], confirms the design of the coat of arms (without the ribbon! Ribbon would be used in "ceremonial form").
Željko Heimer, 29 June 2003

The city of Opatija has somewhat more complicated flag history. Luckily this is very well documented in the official gazette, even with images, that is not so common for this County. Let's see the decisions:
- Odluka o osnivanju i imenovanju clanova Komisije za prijedlog izgleda grba i zastave Grada Opatije, 28.10.1993, Službene novine Županije primorsko-goranske, br. 13/93, 08.11.1993.
- Odluka o grbu i zastavi Grada Opatije, 03.08.1995, Službene novine Županije primorsko-goranske, br. 16/95, 04.08.1995.
- Ispravak Odluke o grbu i zastavi Grada Opatije, Službene novine Županije primorsko-goranske, br. 19/95, 18.09.1995.
- Odluka izmjeni Odluke o grbu i zastavi Grada Opatije, 23.11.1995, Službene novine Županije primorsko-goranske, br. 24/95, 01.12.1995.
- Zakljucak o davanju odobrenja za uporabu grb Grada Opatije, 12.02.1998, Službene novine Primorsko-goranske županije, br. 3/98, 23.02.1998.
- Zakljucak o davanju odobrenja za uporabu grb Grada Opatije, 16.07.1998, Službene novine Primorsko-goranske županije, br. 15/98, 27.07.1998.
- Odluka izmjeni Odluke o grbu i zastavi Grada Opatije, 06.04.2000, Službene novine Primorsko-goranske županije, br. 7/00, 17.04.2000.

The first decision establishes a six-members comission for the determination of the proposal for the flag and the coat of arms.
The decision adopted on 3 August 1995 adopts the symbols that are slightly different from those used today - namely the bird above the tower was an eagle with its head turned towards dexter. The flags was adopted blue (color is named "atlas dark blue") with coat of arms in the middle, and the ceremonial flag with the name of the city inscribed above and with laurel and oak ornaments in the tails. It may be noted the slightly different artistical redention of the city name then it is usual on other ceremonial flags, but I do not believe that there is any special significance in that.
The act from September 1995 is correction of the text of the previous decision, that in fact add only images of the coat of arms, the flag and the ceremonial flag. This is especially useful to us, as it contains three full pages of images, one per page.
Then already in September 1995, the amendments to the design of the coat of arms were made, actaully only in one details - the dexter looking eagle atop the tower is changed to a sinister looking sea-gull. So, the current flag is those adopted 21.11.1995. I suspect that the change was made after a suggestion from the Ministry of Adminstration. (see: Symbols of 1995).
The two decisions from 1998 are permitions for use of the coat of arms to various organizations operating in the city - the organization of the veterans, the fire fighters and union of Italians. Eventual flags of these organizations are not mentioned, but all three might have some.
The amendments to the decision on the coat of arms and the flag of year 2000 change the preceidure for granting permition for use of the symbols, probably after they found out that the previous proceidure was way to complicated and conservative (and costly - it costs to the print decisions in the official gazette, I understand). It was changed after just few months to current pattern.
Željko Heimer, 19 August 2003

The decision: Statut Grada Opatije (procišceni tekst), 24.04.2006, Službene novine Primorsko goranske-županije, br. 18/06, 04.05.2006, is the "cleared" text of the 2001 statutes and the subsequent updates (none relating to symbols). Interestingly enough the 2001 Statutes and this 2006 issue all include the description of the coat of arms that has the eagle atop of the tower and not the sea gull that was determined already in 1995!
I suppose that this goes only about the slopy administartion and there is no intention, as far as I know, to revert to the eagle in the coat of arms.
Željko Heimer, 16 August 2006

The symbols were designed by the Heralid Art d.o.o company in Rijeka.
Željko Heimer, 4 November 2007

Here is an addition to flag related legislation from the site of the official gazette of the County at <www.sn.pgz.hr>:
Odluka o prekršajnim sankcijama (Grada Opatije), 20.12.2007, Službene novine Primorsko-goranske županije, br. 54, 31.12.2007.
The decision changes numerous Opatija city decisions regarding the fines, making them in accordance with the national penal code. The Article 3 therefore does the change to the Decision on the coat of arms and the flag (three decision from 1995 and on in 2000), chenging its Article 18.
Željko Heimer, 5 October 2008

The new 2009 statutes repeats the descriptions of the coat of arms, the flag and the ceremonial flag introduced in the previous 2001 statutes (but not in the 1999 consolidated text of the 1993 statutes with its amendments).
- Statut Grada Opatije, 27.09.2001, Službene novine Primorsko-goranske županije, br. 23/2001, 02.10.2001.
- Statut Grada Opatije, 09.07.2009, Službene novine Primorsko-goranske županije, br. 25/2009, 10.07.2009.
Željko Heimer, 6 December 2009

The Ceremonial Flag

image by Željko Heimer, 19 August 2003

Coat of Arms

image by Željko Heimer, 19 August 2003