One of the state symbols of the country, the flag of Montenegro, along with the anthem and coat of arms, was officially approved after the formation of a sovereign state.
Description and proportions of the flag of Montenegro
The rectangular flag of Montenegro has a length to width ratio of 3: 1. Its field is made in red, there is a gold border around the entire perimeter. In the center of the flag of Montenegro, the country's coat of arms is applied.
The coat of arms is the official symbol adopted by the Assembly of Montenegro in 2004. The golden double-headed eagle on the coat of arms repeats the emblem of the Kolev family of Petrovich and symbolizes the connection between the state and the church in the country. On the eagle's chest there is a heraldic shield with a golden lion on a blue field. The coat of arms is crowned with the crown of the royal dynasty. This fact caused certain disagreements in society, since modern Montenegro is a republic.
Supporters of the unification of Montenegro with Serbia often use an unofficial flag, which is a tricolor with horizontal stripes of equal width in red, blue and white. On the field of the flag, at an equal distance from its edges, there is a coat of arms in the form of a two-headed eagle in a royal crown with a heraldic shield. Such a flag was adopted by those who opposed the secession of Kosovo from Serbia and did not agree with the secession of Montenegro from the Interstate Union with Serbia.
History of the flag of Montenegro
Until 1918, the Montenegrin flag looked like a classic red-white-blue tricolor, in the center of which was the state emblem.
During the occupation of the country by the Germans in Montenegro, the military flag of the army, adopted until 1918, was used, on the red field of which an eagle and a lion were depicted.
Socialist Montenegro as part of the SFRY again received the tricolor as an official symbol, on the field of which a red five-pointed star lit up.
After gaining independence, Montenegro chose the tricolor with red, blue and white horizontal stripes as its flag in 1993. Then the policy of separating Montenegro from Yugoslavia led to the fact that the country's leader, Djukanovic, decided to change the official attributes. The old flag served as a reminder of unity with Serbia, and therefore a new one was approved in 2004.
The red cloth with a gold border around the edges in many ways repeats the military flag of the Montenegrin army, which existed until 1918 and served as the official state symbol of the republic during the Nazi occupation.
