Flag of Transnistria


The flag of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic consists of three horizontal bands of red, green and red, of vertical width 3:2:3, with the golden hammer and sickle and a gold-bordered red star in the upper canton. Transnistria adopted this design that comprises a version of the 1952–1990 flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in the 2000 Law about State Symbols.

History

The flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic served as the republic's flag until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. When Moldova became independent, some places in Transnistria refused to fly the new Moldovan flag and continued to fly the flag of the Soviet Union. Continued use of the flag of the former Moldavian SSR was popular and it was officially reintroduced as the flag of Transnistria in 2000. Confusingly, despite the flag and coat of arms, Transnistria is not a socialist state. It is the only state in Europe that uses the hammer and sickle on its flag.

Usage

For government usage, only the state flag is valid. Transnistrian law permits the use of a simplified version of the flag for non-governmental use without the hammer and sickle and red star and without regard to shape or size. The most common size is still 1:2, but 2:3 versions have also been used.

White-blue-red tricolor

In 2009 the Parliament of Transnistria discussed a proposal to replace the civil flag with a new flag, carrying three horizontal stripes in the colours white, blue and red, being almost identical to the flag of the Russian Federation, but with different aspect ratio.
The primary reason for the second flag is that it indicates Transnistria's desire for closer ties with Russia, a guarantor of Transnistria's independence from Moldova. In a 2006 referendum, 97.2% of Transnistrians voted in favour of increased association with Russia. The new flag would be used alongside the current state flag. On 12 April 2017, the Transnistrian Supreme Council passed a motion making the new flag Transnistria's second official flag.

Other flags

The presidential flag is a 1:1, yellow fringed version of the civil flag with the coat-of-arms in the centre. It was adopted on 18 July 2000 and replaced an earlier version dating from 1997.
The army flag is a blue flag with a yellow bordered red cross. It is similar to that of the Moldovan army, but does not include the Moldovan coat-of-arms.
A customs flag is also in use by Transnistrian customs. It is a primarily green flag with two red bands at the bottom. The central part of the flag is dominated by the symbol of Transnistrian customs.