National Flag Day in Moldova Date in the current year: April 27, 2024

Throughout the history of Moldova, the main colors of its flag were blue and red. The blue, red and yellow tricolor, similar to the tricolor of Romania, was first used by the short-lived Moldavian Democratic Republic that was proclaimed in December 1917 and entered an unconditional union with Romania.

During the Soviet era, the flag of the Moldavian SSR was similar to the flags of other Soviet republics. It was a red banner with a thin horizontal green stripe in the middle and a golden hammer and sickle and a gold-bordered red star in the upper left corner. To this day, it is one of the two official flags of the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

The present-day flag of Moldova was developed during Perestroika. It was based on the Romanian (Wallachian) tricolor to reflect the national and cultural affinity of the two countries. However, the blue stripe on the Moldovan flag is Berlin blue, whereas the blue stripe on the Romanian flag is cobalt blue. At the same time, both flags use the same shades of yellow and red: chrome yellow and vermilion red.

Another difference between the two flags is that the flag of Moldova is charged with the national coat of arms. The tricolor version of the flag was adopted on April 27, 1990; the anniversary of its adoption is now celebrated as National Flag Day. The coat of arms was added to the flag on November 6, 1990.

So, the national flag of Moldova consists of three vertical bands (blue, yellow and red). The middle band is charged with the national coat of arms. The coat of arms of Moldova features a golden brown eagle holding an olive branch in its dexter talon, a scepter in its sinister talon, and an Orthodox cross in its beak. A similar eagle, albeit with a sword instead of an olive branch, is present on the coat of arms of Romania.

On the eagle’s chest, there is a blue and red shield with a golden aurochs head that has a golden eight-pointed star between the horns, a golden heraldic rose to dexter, and a golden crescent to sinister. The aurochs head is the symbol of the independence, pride and strength of the Moldovan nation; it has been associated with Moldova since at least the 14th century.

Prior to 2010, the flag of Moldavia was one of the two national flags whose reverse differed from the obverse, the other one being the flag of Paraguay. The reverse side of the Moldovan flag lacked the coat of arms. This changed after the adoption of a new law regarding the national flag of Moldova on November 26, 2010. Since then, the reverse of the flag has been a mirrored image of its obverse.

The parliament of Moldova officially established National Flag Day in 2010. It is marked by flag-raising ceremonies and other patriotic events and activities celebrating the country’s national flag. Although National Flag Day is an official holiday, it is not a non-working day unless it falls on a Saturday or Sunday.