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Herzegovina - Neretva Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Hercegovacko-Neretvanski Kanton, Canton 7

by Željko Heimer, 13 February 2005

Overview
Coat of Arms
Proposed Flag
Cantonal Police

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Municipalities:

Overview

Several days ago I recevied info from the visitor of my pages sending me drawing of the new Coat of Arms of the Hercegovina-Neretva Canton (HNK). I was retaher sceptic at first as he did not reply any further questions I had, but just a few days ago I saw the same Coat of Arms depicted on the police uniforms in Mostar (on an unrelated TV news report). Today I received info on the flag and confirmation of that Coat of Arms from an other visitor. I am now sufficiently convinced that the info is genuine though we should thrive to obtain the official documentation, I have no serious doubt that it shall only confirm what is presented here.
The coat of arms of HNK is a golden bordered blue shield with three white wavy stripes and light blue chief with golden nine-pointed star. The adoption of the symbols of this canton was quite difficult process and the solution finally adopted is an obvious compromise to avoid any ethnical reference. The wavy lines no doubt refer to the Neretva river that is important in the life of the people here, but also to the sea coast - HNK being the only canton having any coast in B&H, however small. Three lines possibly also refer to the three consitutional nations of B&H. The nine-pointed star refer to the nine communities of the Canton. The flag is in ratio 3:5, to match the flag of the Federation. It is horizontally divided in five stiripes of red over white over blue over white over green with the coat of arms in the middle. The red-white-green stripes refer to the Federation of B&H and to the Croat and Bosniak majorities, while the blue stirpe in the middle sigifies the Neretva river. I estimate the adoption date to be in late 2004.
Željko Heimer, 13 February 2005

Coat of Arms

by Željko Heimer, 13 February 2005

Proposed Flag

Rejected proposal for the cantonal flag
by Željko Heimer

Some time ago (over a year, I believe) Jaume Olle' presented an unidentified flag from Bosnia and Herzegovina that he spoted on some TV coverage from Mostar. The flag was a horizontal triband of Spanish type clue-white-blue with the arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina (fleur de lys and bend) offcentered towads the hoist.
Afterwards I included the flag image on my pages under Unidentified Flags, and now I received some information about it from a visitor of the pages. He claims that this is an "unofficial variant of a flag proposed for the flag of Herzegovina-Neretva county" of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to him, the proposal was rejected by the parlament of the County, while the final solution for the design is under consideration (without a clue what this design might be).
Željko Heimer, 1 January 1998

I believe that Hercegovina-Neretva has no flag yet. HN being the most mixen Croat-Bosniak canton (Mostar is capital), so the political will is there most difficult and question of the flag is probably left out, as it would surely stirr the spirits and would not do anything useful.
Željko Heimer, 25 June 2002

Cantonal Police

by Željko Heimer, 13 February 2005

Flag of the cantonal police - It is light blue bordered golden, with the police patch in the middle. The patch contains the Coat of Arms and the inscription POLICIJA above, MUP (Ministry of Interior) below, and on each side HERCEGOVACKO and NERETVANSKI - the name of the canton.
Željko Heimer, 13 February 2005