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Croatia - Military Flags

Legislation
Centre for Education and Training of Soldiers of Logistics Branch
Reports on Military Flags

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Legislation

Pascal Vagnat reported about a law concerning the military organisation of Croatia at: <tomislav.morh.tel.hr>. It is "Zakon o obrani" - the Law on Defence. I do not have the numbers of the official gazette in which it is published, but the numbers are 1230/91 and 1522/93, the last superceeded the previous, but, again I am not usre if it is the latest version. There is also "Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o obrani" 1161/96, which changes essencial part of text that concerns us here.
Let us see the chronologically.
"Zakon o obrani" 1230/91 of 26-JUN-1991. (NN, 49/91)
Art 63.
"Defence forces units have thier flags. The flags of the units of defence forces, naval flags [ensigns] and rank flags in the Navy are establish in a separate law."

Art 64.
"The sign of adherence to the Defence forces is the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia.
The uniforms, insignia, ranks, duty signs and symbols of addherence to branches and services, are prescribed by the President of the Republic."
(While I guess that the Prsident prescribed the things from art 64, I am not aware of any separate law on flags as mentioned in art 63 (actually, I am sure there is no such law). However, unit flags seems to have been established, probably also by prescription (or approval) of the President. This include probably the flag of the Navy , but I have not yet found anything about rank flags

"Zakon o obrani" 1522/93 of 27-JUL-1993 (NN, 74/93).
Articles 63 and 64 are equal to the previous law, with slight changes in wording (introducing Croatian versions of words, rather then internationalisms). Again, no separate law was made to accord with it.

"Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o obrani" 1161/96, 28-JUN-1996.
This law changes the previous law of 1993, introducing these changes:
Art 23. changes art 63 of 1993 law so that it reads now: "Defence forces units have thier flags.The supreme commander estabishes the flags of the units of defence forces, naval flags [ensigns] and rank flags in the Navy."

Art 24 changes art 64 of 1993 law so that it reads now: "The sign of adherence to the Defence forces is the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia.The uniforms, insignia, ranks, duty signs and symbols of addherence to branches and services, are prescribed by the President of the Republic.It is forbiden wearing of military uniform and parts of it to the persons non-members of the Defence forces."

This last thing not important to us. So, now it is the President (in his function as the supreme commander) who estabishes the flags of all kinds. As I said, this is probably just the legal acceptance of the estabished practice. Still no word on rank flags have come to me.

If I guess right, in the official gazette (NN) is published after this the "cleaned" text of the new law, but I'll have to check it
Željko Heimer, 8 December 1998

Centre for Education and Training of Soldiers of Logistics Branch

by Željko Heimer

Unit Symbol
by Željko Heimer

After a long delay, I finally made an image of the flag of the unit in which I serve the Army. The flag is somewhat atypical, I believe, as it is a vertical flag with swallow tail and tongue. The tails end in talons (if that is the right word?).
The flag is purple, with the symbol of the unit in the middle. The symbol (the same as the shoulder patch, from which I scanned it) is a black disk bordered grey. In the border there are the initials of the unit name "NSLHV" and "ZAGREB". Within the border there is a golden circular "tripple-wattle" witch in the base has incorporated the yellow coat of arms of Zagreb (somewhat stylized). In the middle there are two golden outlined grey swords and above them the coat of arms of Croatia.
I have only now to reveal what the initials stand for - "Nastavno središte logistike Hrvatske vojske" - Educational centre for logistics of the Croatian Army. The current name is changed to SOOVLS, "Središte odgoja i obrazovanja vojnika logisticke struke" (Centre for education and training of soldiers of logistics branch), and the patches were changed accordingly, but the old ones are still in use, and as I have it, I scanned the old one. I have no means now to draw circular letters, so I leave it with the old name.
This flag is hoisted all the time in front of the command buildings, clearly visible from the surrounding streets, and lighted at night.
Maybe to mention, that the symbol in the centre is quite typical for the Croatian Army. Several units have it in the same pattern, changing only the colour of the circular border and the coat of arms in the base (and the inscriptions, of course).
Željko Heimer, 24 May 1998

Reports on Military Flags

The web site at <library.foi.hr> include a project of digitazing of the regional journal Glas Podravine, from its first issues in 1951.
- An article from 1998 include a story about the local artist Josip Greguric, among others - designer of the flag and "coat of arms" (=emblem) of the 117th Brigae of the Croatian Army. The emblem and the flag includes the coat of arms of Koprivnica and Križevci.
Željko Heimer, 11 August 2009