{"id":2425,"date":"2018-11-30T21:22:38","date_gmt":"2018-11-30T19:22:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/heraldika.org.mk\/?p=2425"},"modified":"2018-11-30T21:27:27","modified_gmt":"2018-11-30T19:27:27","slug":"english-the-coats-of-arms-and-other-forms-of-state-emblem-proposed-for-the-republic-of-macedonia-and-the-process-of-their-adoption-1992-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heraldika.org.mk\/en\/news\/english-the-coats-of-arms-and-other-forms-of-state-emblem-proposed-for-the-republic-of-macedonia-and-the-process-of-their-adoption-1992-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"The Coats of Arms and Other Forms of State Emblem Proposed for the Republic of Macedonia, and the Process of Their Adoption, 1992\u20132014"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Genealogy<\/i> 2018<\/b>, 2<\/i>(4), 52; doi:10.3390\/genealogy2040052<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Article<\/div>\n
The Coats of Arms and Other Forms of State Emblem Proposed for the Republic of Macedonia, and the Process of Their Adoption, 1992\u20132014<\/div>\n
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Jovan Jonovski<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Macedonian Heraldic Society, Skopje 1000, Macedonia<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Received: 8 October 2018 \/ Accepted: 21 November 2018 \/ Published: 28 November 2018<\/div>\n
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Abstract<\/h2>\n

:<\/b><\/p>\n

Selecting national emblems is crucial for the development of a national identity. This paper presents all official proposals for the coat of arms of the Republic of Macedonia, starting in 1992, with the proposals of the public competition for the selection of the coat of arms, flag, and anthem of the Republic of Macedonia, and finishing with the last Government proposal in 2014. All of the proposals are categorized according to their main symbol, a sun or a lion. The long and complex process of creating national symbols shows that there is a deep division regarding which one to use.<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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Keywords:<\/div>\n

coat of arms; identity; Macedonian state emblem<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1. Introduction<\/h2>\n
The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss all the official proposals for the coat of arms of the Republic of Macedonia, starting with the proposals of the public competition for the selection of the coat of arms, flag, and anthem of the Republic in 1992, and going up to the latest Government proposal in 2014. The documents of the process of the Assembly (Parliament) of the Republic of Macedonia on creating national emblems, that occurred in 1992, are found in the State Archive of the Republic of Macedonia, Fundus 1304: \u201cSobranie 1990\u20131994\u201d, Materials for 41 session, held on 11 August 1992, points 2, 3, and 4, box 46. It contains the proposals of the Law on the Coat of Arms, Flag and Anthem of the Republic Macedonia, and the amendments starting from 1 June until 22 October 1992.<\/div>\n
Unfortunately, the original images of the proposals have not been preserved. Therefore, this document presents reconstructions based on published photographs and the descriptions given in those proposals. The daily newspaper \u201cNova Makedonija\u201d completely covered the entire process and published photos of the proposals. Interviews with Todor Petrov, an independent MP very active in this process, provide additional information on his proposals, as well as those of others. Also, there is input from some of the participants in the process. The reconstructions of the coat and flag proposals are by Jovan Jonovski.<\/div>\n
Macedonia is situated in the Balkan peninsula in south east Europe. The oldest heraldic symbol associated to a territorial entity in the northern part of Macedonia is the banner over the city of Skopje. It is found on a naval map, dated 1339, by Italian cartographer Angelino de Dulcherto. On this map showing main ports, Skopje is depicted with a banner over a fort and the inscription \u201cScopi\u201d next to it. The banner is Or a double-headed eagle Gules<\/span>.1<\/a> Reflections on European heraldic practices could be seen in the Balkans below the Danube River, where just a few rulers used arms. This as (\u0410\u0446\u043e\u0432\u0438\u045b 2008<\/a>) notes, was \u201cheraldry of emblems, not heraldry on rules\u201d. Just half a century later, Skopje came under the administration of the Ottoman Empire. This started a period in which there was no real possibility for bearing arms due to the Islamic view of the use of images.<\/div>\n
However, at the end of the 16th century, several wealthy families from the Republic of Dubrovnik (Ragusa) had an armorial created containing around 160 family arms, and 9 so-called \u201cland\u201d coat of arms.2<\/a> This armorial, with its copies and versions, are known as Illyrian Armorials, and, the coat of arms they contained, as Illyrian arms or Illyrian heraldry. Later, at the beginning of the 18 century another heraldic work, known as Stematographia<\/span>, appeared, containing the Illyrian land arms and many other territorial arms.3<\/a> These heraldic works will later influence the ideas for symbolic design of the new developing nations in the Balkans.<\/div>\n
In 1919, following the Balkan wars (1912\u20131913) and WWI, the territory of the modern-day Republic of Macedonia was incorporated into the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later named Yugoslavia). The first ideas about the existence of a historical Macedonian coat of arms appeared in 1968. This became public with the publishing of the book \u201cThe Coats of Arms of Macedonia,\u201d written by Aleksandar Matkovski in 1970. The book presents two dozen Illyrian Armorials, where the land arms of Macedonia were present. The author concluded that the \u201creal\u201d coat of arms of Macedonia is Gules, a lion queued forchee, crowned Or<\/span>. This idea reappeared in 1990, with the second edition of Matkovski\u2019s book, gaining great popularity.<\/div>\n
The choice of an emblem sends a message, both through its form and its content. The design of a symbol to represent a national identity is a product of specific, socio-political events that surround its adoption, as a process of wider social forces that go beyond national borders (Cerulo 1995, p. 2<\/a>). The choice of national symbols is a process in which a symbol or a symbolic composition is selected from a multitude of possible symbols. Through their application, promotion, the construction of the story of their occurrence, continuity, and significance, they are further built as national symbols, being crucial for building the identity of a political nation.<\/div>\n
The choice of the symbols for the coat of arms and the flag is not unambiguous, in the sense that there is not only one symbol, or one symbolic composition, alone, which perfectly represents the armiger. It requires a process for selecting not only a symbol but, also, a specific design. Symbols may be chosen or designed in a closed process where work is given to one designer, a small team of experts (the traditional approach), or through a public competition. When selecting a symbol, the primary message that needs to be communicated is considered the most important.<\/div>\n
Laswell et al.<\/a> (1952, p. 15<\/a>) distinguishes three categories of national symbols, i.e., emblems: (a) symbols of identification\u2014with traditional or historical heritage; (b) symbols of preference\u2014freedom, independence, fraternity, justice, etc.; and (c) symbols of aspirations or expectations\u2014progress, the inevitability of a world revolution, the proletariat (an icon of an economic class), and so on.<\/div>\n
In Europe, most state coats of arms fall into the first category, with all national emblems until 1948, being selected in the traditional way. Until 1990, the same was for the coats of arms of the Balkan states, with the exception of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia having the only emblem from the second category\u2014symbols of preferences\u2014those of the brotherhood and unity of its peoples. The coats of arms of Serbia4<\/a>, Bulgaria5<\/a>, and Albania6<\/a>, are taken from historic Illyrian arms. The coat of arms of Greece underwent several changes, from an ancient composition to a simple cross.7<\/a><\/div>\n
But, there are situations where it is desirable for historical continuity to be avoided. In that case, there could be a public competition where artists have the opportunity to \u201cinvent\u201d a new emblem.8<\/a> The first such example is the emblem of Italy.9<\/a> Public competition for a state emblem is usually conducted in countries with internal conflict, as a way to create new symbols without historical reference to the related sides of the conflict.10<\/a><\/div>\n
The flag of Cyprus was adopted in 1960 after a public competition, in which the condition was that it not contain blue, red, a cross or a crescent, as these were symbols of the opposite parties. The design, with the contours of the island and olive branches, was by Ismet Gunei, a Turkish Cypriot.<\/div>\n
The choice of state symbols in Kosovo followed the pattern of conflict symbols.11<\/a> Albanians in Kosovo used the flag, coat of arms, and anthem of the Republic of Albania, which they regarded as national, rather than state, symbols. Therefore, new symbols, other than those perceived as national ones, needed to be created. The flag of the Republic of Kosovo was adopted immediately after the proclamation of independence on 17 February 2008. The flag\u2019s design was a result of an international public competition, organized by UNMIK,12<\/a> and attracted nearly a thousand proposals. In these circumstances, the use of symbols used by the conflicting entities in Kosovo was banned. The winning design was by Muhamer Ibrahimi, and it is also was displayed on the emblem of Kosovo. The flag of Kosovo has a blue background, bearing the outline of Kosovo, on which six golden stars are placed in an arch. The stars officially symbolize the six main ethnic groups in Kosovo.13<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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2. The Choice of Symbols of the Republic of Macedonia<\/h2>\n
Independence in 1991 found Macedonia \u201csymbolically\u201d and \u201cemblematically\u201d unprepared. The People\u2019s Republic\/Socialist Republic of Macedonia used three symbols for forty years: the star from the flag, the mountain, and the sun from the state emblem (Figure 1<\/a>).14<\/a> During the last decades of the 20th century, two symbols\u2014the golden lion, and the golden sixteen-rayed sun on a red field\u2014were slowly introduced. These symbols, previously used by the Macedonian diaspora, were slowly introduced to the public space inside Macedonia. An example of this would be the rally in Skopje for the proclamation of the results of the Referendum on 8 September 1991 (\u0420\u0435\u0444\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0434\u0443\u043c \u0432\u043e \u041c\u0430\u043a\u0435\u0434\u043e\u043d\u0438\u0458\u0430 1991<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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\"Genealogy<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Figure 1.<\/b> The Soviet style emblem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, officially called \u201cCoat of Arms\u201d15<\/a> from 1970 book \u201cThe Coats of Arms of Macedonia\u201d by Aleksandar Matkovski.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Towards the end of 199116<\/a>, the political parties represented in the Assembly were in favor of a public competition to select the state symbols, without mentioning any specific symbol. The political Party VMRO-NP17<\/a>, although supporting the public competition, advocated a specific proposal for a coat of arms with a lion (\u0427\u0430\u043d\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0430 1991<\/a>).<\/div>\n
On 26 December 1991, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia established the Commission for Constitutional Affairs to assume the role of carrying out the activities for the preparation and adoption of the Law on the Coat of Arms, the Flag, and the Anthem of the Republic of Macedonia. The commission formed a working group, led by Tito Petkovski, which adopted the schedule according to which a public competition should be held, and the Law should be enacted no later than 20 May 1992, in accordance to the Constitutional Law (\u041f\u0435\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432 1992<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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The competition lasted from 25 March until 10 April 1992. Article 3 of the document reads (\u0421\u043b\u0443\u0436\u0431\u0435\u043d 1992<\/a>):<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe proposals for the coat of arms, flag and anthem of the Republic of Macedonia should express the statehood, independence and sovereignty of the Republic, its historical traditions, cultural heritage, the aspiration for social and spiritual progress, the natural characteristics of the Republic, unity and coexistence and the modern aspirations for a democratic society and European and World Integration.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
A total of 275 proposals with many variants were submitted in the contest, of which 239 were for the coat of arms and the flag, and 36 for the anthem (\u0421\u0442\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0441\u043a\u0438 1992, p. I\/7<\/a>). The majority of the proposals included different designs of suns and lions. The Commission chose three sets of designs bearing code names Feniks 92, MAKO, and 5522, which were publicly presented on 5 June 1992, from which the final proposals had to be selected (\u0417. \u0414. 1992<\/a>).<\/div>\n
The code name \u201cFENIKS 92\u201d proposed a coat of arms with a lion in several color combinations: Gules a crowned lion Or<\/span>, Sable crowned lion Or<\/span>, and Gules crowned lion Sable<\/span> (Figure 2<\/a>a). All resemble, too closely, the arms of existing states, while the third violates the rule of tincture of arms. The code name \u201cMAKO\u201d proposed coat of arms with the sun from the current state emblem, but represented it with 16 thin divergent rays, (as popularly perceived (Jonovski 2015, p. 168<\/a>)), and one proposal with Or lion Gules<\/span> (Figure 2<\/a>b). The code name \u201c5222\u201d proposed a red shield with a yellow sunrise over blue waves. There was also a version with a black sun and waves on red and on a yellow shield, both breaking the heraldic rule of tinctures. Under the shield, there is a red ribbon with the text \u201cMakedonija\u201d (Figure 3<\/a>a) (\u0417. \u0414. 1992<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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\"Genealogy<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Figure 2.<\/b> (a<\/b>) Proposals by \u201cFENIKS 92\u201d18<\/a>; (b<\/b>) Proposals by \u201cMAKO\u201d.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Genealogy<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Figure 3.<\/b> (a<\/b>) Proposals by \u201c5522\u201d; (b<\/b>) The requested proposals by \u201cFENIKS 92\u201d for the arms and the flag.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In the end, the Commission asked the selected designers to submit a further proposal with the same new golden sun on a red field for the arms and for the flag. The proposal submitted under the code \u201cFENIKS 92\u201d (Figure 3<\/a>b) was accepted and included in the commission\u2019s official Draft Law on the Coat of Arms submitted by the MPs Tito Petkovski, Zoran Krstevski, and Kiro Popovski on 20 June 1992, as well as a proposal for a flag with the same sun. The draft proposal states:<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe coat of arms of the Republic of Macedonia is a shield with a red field enclosed with a yellow (golden) edge. In the middle of the shield is a yellow (golden) sun. The sun has 16 primary rays that break in 32 rays, 16 of which are at the top of the primary, and the other 16 are in the middle between the two primary rays. Under the shield is a ribbon on which is written \u201cRepublika Makedonija.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
The explanation on the proposal for a coat of arms and a flag with a 32-ray sun, and explanation of the whole process, was given by the Chairman of the Working Group of the Commission on Constitutional Affairs, Tito Petkovski. The only mention of significance or symbolism is the historical continuity of the golden yellow and red colors associated with the flags of the uprisings. These colors are present in the symbols of the Albanians and Turks who, for centuries, lived together with the Macedonians in these areas. Also, those are symbols that our citizens did not perceive as representing an enemy, an occupier, or slavery (\u0421\u0442\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0441\u043a\u0438 1992, p. I\/12<\/a>).<\/div>\n
The sun as a symbol, and its meanings are not mentioned at all, but defensive statements follow that these symbols are free from the claims of renewal of great kingdoms from the past. Also, that these symbols do not offend other nations and citizens of other states, that no foreign symbol is adopted, and that they are not symbols that will have widespread harmful associations among certain nations and states. Finally, the Commission \u201cconsiders that they have historical understanding and are an expression of the state-legal continuity of the Republic of Macedonia\u201d (\u0421\u0442\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0441\u043a\u0438 1992, p. I\/12<\/a>).<\/div>\n
This is probably the only explanation of a state emblem in the world where the emphasis is on the inoffensiveness of the symbols to other states and nations, while the symbols themselves, and their intended meanings, are not mentioned at all.<\/div>\n
Regardless of this process, the MPs made many proposals and, very often, after being rejected, the same proposals were resubmitted. The first proposal for the coat of arms included a lion derived from the land arms of Macedonia from the 1620 Belgrade Illyrian Armorial, with a blazon Gules, a lion Or<\/span>, queued forchee, crowned with a ducal crown. Above the shield, the same crown with the name \u201cMakedonija\u201d on a scroll (Figure 4<\/a>a). The inclusion of a name is not strictly permitted in an armorial achievement (\u041f\u0435\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432 1992<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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\"Genealogy<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Figure 4.<\/b> (a<\/b>) Generic proposal of the \u201cMacedonian lion\u201d; (b<\/b>) The proposals by Todor Petrov based on the design of the flag.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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This coat of arms, Gules crowned lion Or<\/span>, was the one most often suggested in the process of choosing the arms, accompanied with different inscriptions on the ribbon under the shield:<\/p>\n