Symbols of the Republic of Bulgaria > Bulgaria

According to the Bulgarian Coat-of-Arms Act, Article 2, Paragraph 1:

"The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bulgaria shall depict a crowned gold lion rampant on a dark gules shield. Above the shield there shall be a large crown whose archetype shall be the crowns of the rulers of the Second Bulgarian Empire, with five crosses and another cross on top of the crown. The shield shall be held by two crowned gold lions rampant, standing on two crossed oak branches with acorns. [The three lions represent the three parts of Bulgaria: Moesia, Thrace, and Macedonia.] Under the shield there shall be a white band, lined with the national colors, containing the text 'Saedinenieto pravi silata' ['Union Produces Strength']."

Article 165 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria states that "the State Seal shall depict the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bulgaria."

The coat-of-arms was adopted by the Bulgarian National Assembly on the 31st of July, 1997, only after the Union of the Democratic Forces (UDF) and its allies received the majority of seats in the National Assembly, thus overruling the Socialists who blocked the revival of the coat-of-arms used by the Kingdom of Bulgaria before the 9th of September 1944. According to the Socialists, a crown put on the shield equaled monarchy, which Bulgaria is not. Therefore, in 1991, the Socialist-controlled Grand National Assembly passed a constitutional text that said "The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bulgaria shall depict a gold lion rampant on a dark gules shield," i.e. no crowns, and only one lion.

For six years the Socialists were able to block the creation of a new coat-of-arms, until 1997, when the UDF-led National Assembly finally revived and adopted a slightly modified version of the coat-of-arms used before 1944, while making a concession to the Socialists and including crosses rather than lilies on the shield's crown. When the coat-of-arms was submitted to the National Assembly for approval on July 31st, 1997, 177 people's deputies voted in favor, 16 people's deputies voted against, and 29 abstained.

Previous Bulgarian Coats-of-Arms

Coat-of-arms 1930-1946

Coat-of-arms 1948-1971

II. Flag

Article 166 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria states that "The Flag of the Republic of Bulgaria is a tricolor: white, green, and red from top, placed horizontally."

According to the Bulgarian State Seal and National Flag Act:

"The three color fields shall be identical in form and size: Form - rectangular with a 3:5 width-to-length ratio. Size: 18 cm x 30 ñì, 24 cm x 40 cm, 90 cm x 150 cm, 129 cm x 215 cm. Colors: white - with a degree of whiteness not less than 80%, green - #17-5936 TS according to the Panton-textile scale, and red - #18-1664 TS according to the Panton-textile scale. Standard samples of the colors of the national flag shall be kept by the Committee of Standards and Metrology."

Previous Bulgarian National Flags

Flag 1908-1945

Flag 1945-1947

Flag 1971-1990

III. Anthem

Click here for the text of the anthem

 Article 168 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria states that "The Anthem of the Republic of Bulgaria is the song 'Mila Rodino' ('Dear Native Land')."

 Previous Bulgarian Anthem

Click here for a Windows Media Audio version of "Shumi Maritsa"