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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

See also:

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