Dniestr Republic (Moldova)

Trans-Dniester Moldavian Republic / Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublika

Last modified: 2007-03-24 by zach harden
Keywords: dniestr | moldova | europe | hammer and sickle |
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1:2 image by Gvido Petersons

1:2 image by Ivan Sache and Mark Sensen

The reverse of the flag doesn't show the hammer and sickle. But according to Article 4 of Law on symbolism the flag may be used in a simplified version - without the hammer and sickle and star (on both sides). Only state institutions must use full version of the flag
Victor Lomantsov, 12 January 2004

• Description of flag
• Coat of Arms
• Standard of the President
• Customs flag
• General Suvorov
• Dubossary (Dubossarskiy County)

See also:

• Tiraspol
• Dnestrovsk
• Moldova
• Moldavian SSR

Description of Flag

The Dniestr Republic was organized by ethnic Russians opposed to being part of newly independent Moldova, particularly in view of the introduction of Moldovan (i.e. Romanian) as the national language. The flag of the Dniestr Republic is identical to that of the old Moldavian SSR. A version without the hammer and sickle is also reportedly in use.
Suart Notholt

I doubt this flag is recognized by the Moldovan government. The Moldovan government does not even recognize the Dniestr government and tried to stop the Dniestr presidential elections of 22 December 1996. It seems, though, that there might be normal relations in the near future. Moldova's newly (December 1996) elected President Petru Lucinschi has said that the Dniestr region might get some kind of "special status". He has also had talks with Russian negotiators and with the Ukrainian president about the Dniestr problem. In Dniestr, Igor Smirnov was re-elected as President and inaugurated on 10 January 1997, when he said "...that the future relationship between Chisinau and Tiraspol should be based on treaties and that Moldova should view the Dniestr region as a [separate] state".

Dniestr is still using the Soviet Union car licence plates and they have their own currency - the Transdniestr Rouble. It's not possible to use the Transdniestr Rouble in Moldova nor the Moldovan Lei in Dniestr.
Christian Berghänel, 14 January 1997

Transnistria and Trans-Dniestr are the same. Other name used: Dniestr, Dniester, Dniestria, Trans-Dniester, Trans-Dniestria., Transdniestr, Transdniester, Transdniestria. On their banknotes the "Transdniestrian Bank" is in 3 languages, all in Cyrillic.

1. Banke Nistrjane (Cyrillic Moldovan?)
2. Pridnestrovskij Bank (Russian?)
3. Pridnistivskij Bank (Ukrainian?)

Christian Berghänel, 01 September 1997

A flag was adopted officially on 25 July 2000 (but before several variants were in use). On the same day a coat of arms was adopted. The flag is 1:2, three horizontal stripes 3:2:3 of red, green, red. In the canton there is an imaginary square; in the square (size 1/5 of the width of the flag) is the hammer and sickle in yellow and red star bordered yellow. The star is in an imaginary square (size 1/10 of the width and situated 1/10 of the width of the flag). The reverse of the flag shows only three horizontal stripes of red, green, red (3:2:3).
The Presidential flag is like the national but without hammer and sickle and proportioned 1:1 (fringed yellow). In the center are the new national arms (very similar to the old ones except for some changes in inscriptions).
The Army flag is blue with red cross fimbriated yellow (red more yellow is approximately one-half of the height).
Source: Gaceta de Banderas
Jaume Ollé 05 November 2000

Ethnic composition
From the book: Europe-Between 1763-1993 Maps Collection:
"In the left bank of the Dniestr Moldavia (Camenca, Ribnita, Dubosari, Grigoriopol, Slobozia, Tiraspol districts and towns) there lived 601,800 inhabitants (1989 census). 39.9% Rumanian, 28.3% Ukrainian, 25.5% Russian. And on the right bank Tighina or Bender has got a large Ukrainian and Russian majority (18.2% and 41.9%). These districts will contain the seceded Transnistrian Rep."
István Molnár, 7 January 2001

If we see from Chisinau the "Transnistrian Rep" is really over the Dniester. But if we see from Tiraspol the republic is before Dniestr. Citizens of this republic name themselves as "Near-Dniestr Republic" (Pridnestrovskaya Respublika). 'near-' but not 'trans-'. I think a more correct translation is Dniestr Republic (or Nistru Republic).
Victor Lomantsov, 8 January 2001

On 30 April, 1990 the town councils of Tiraspol and Bendery decide not to use the new Moldovan flag (adopted 27 April). They decided to use the flag of USSR instead of the Moldovan flag. It was the start of bloody "flag wars" in the Dniestr region.
Victor Lomantsov, 24 December 2001

According to the SAVA 10th anniversary special issued in Dec 2000, the Transdniestrian Moldovian Republic declared its independence from Moldova on 2 September 1990 and a Constitution was adopted by referendum on 24 December 1995 and signed by the President of the Transdnistrian Moldavian Republic on 17 January 1996 and Arms and flag were most recently established by Law on 3 July 2000.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 23 August 2002

According to "Courrier International" (#645, 13 March 2003), quoting the Moldovan newspaper "Flux", a project of new Constitution is pending in Moldova. The new Constitution should proclaim a federal state and should be elaborated with the contribution of the Transnistrian administration for the status of the Transnistrian Republic). A referendum should be organized both in Moldova and Transnistria, not later than the 1 February 2004. Presidential and legislative elections should then take place, not later than the 25 February 2005. The Moldovan authorities have forwarded to Transnistria the principles to be included in the new Constitution. In the future federal state, Russian shall be an official language. Moreover, Transnistria shall retain all its national symbols until a common symbolic is established.
Ivan Sache, 19 April 2003

At the homepage of the Constitutional Court of the breakaway Dniester Republic ( http://www.kspmr.idknet.com/eng/photoarch.php ) I see an unidentified flag in the first picture. Seems like the Dniestr flag with a coat of arms in the centre. Could this be the Court's flag? Anyone knows?
Christian Berghänel, 9 January 2004

Yes. It is the official presidential standard.
Pascal Vagnat, 11 January 2004

At the President's site ( http://www.president-pmr.org/ ) there is also a flag with the coat of arms in the centre. I suppose this is the President's Flag. Under /english/republic/national symbols the national flag is presented. Here without the hammer and sickle. At the above Constitutional Court site, there are a few pictures with the hammer & sickle flag. Seems like they are both used.
Christian Berghänel, 9 January 2004

image by Pascal Gross, 23 August 2002