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  • Hey geograpeeps!

  • Hope you like the Republic of Macedonia/Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia episode.

  • I'm actually pretty surprised and pleased that most of the feedback was relatively positive.

  • I mean if you type in "Macedonia" on YouTube, most of the videos have like high ratios of dislikes and rage comments from

  • people that have issues with the country.

  • However, for GeographyNow, not bad!

  • How do you think it was handled? Let me know.

  • However, this video is going to touch up on some other sensitive areas

  • because we have to discuss the flag.

  • Which has it's own cesspool of controversy.

  • But we got to jump in.

  • So without further ado!

  • Flag Friday Intro

  • Oh man, if you thought the whole name issue was mind-boggling, wait until you get to the flag.

  • There have literally been fights breaking out over this.

  • First of all, the flag is made up of a red field stylized with a yellow sun in the center.

  • Featuring 8 broadening rays extending outwards to the edges.

  • The sun represents the "New Sun of Liberty" as referred to in the national anthem entitled "Today Over Macedonia".

  • Now keep in mind, this is the current flag and it was adopted in 1995.

  • However, they gained their independence from the Former Yugoslav Republic in 1991.

  • So prior to 1995, what kind of flag did they use?

  • Well, they sort of this one and it kind of angered a lot of people.

  • Like, both Greeks and Albanians.

  • Now when it comes to Balkans, just a little side caveat, you know its bad when

  • both the Greeks and Albanians agree on the same thing and protest against you with it.

  • The reason why is because this is the symbol of the Vergina sun, sometimes also referred to as the Vergina Star.

  • A historical symbol that appeared in ancient Greek art and archaeological sites

  • especially on the graves of royal figures.

  • Now the Albanians were upset because they said that this symbol only recognized the Macedonians

  • and pretty much marginalized their presence as a blatantly noticeable people-group in the country.

  • And if you watched the country episode, you can kind of understand why the Greeks were upset.

  • It got so bad that the Greeks actually imposed an "economic blockade" against them until they changed it in 1995.

  • The funny thing is, their current flag kind of looks similar to the Japanese imperial flag

  • and their former democratic and socialist republic flags from the Yugoslav times

  • looks similar to the flags of Vietnam and China.

  • Now, we move onto the emblem.

  • The national emblem is made up of 2 garlands on the left and right

  • made up of wheat sheaves, tobacco and opium poppies, all tied with an embroidered ribbon at the bottom.

  • That's right, just like I mentioned in the country video, they love opium and tobacco so much,

  • they put it on their national emblem.

  • In the center is a mountain representing the Šar mountains and Mt. Korab.

  • A lake representing Ohrid and the Vardar river.

  • And a sunrise representing freedom.

  • There used to be a red socialist star on top, but then they removed it in 2009.

  • In 2014, the government proposed a code of arms to replaced the national emblem and

  • it is still kind of in the process. Not exactly official yet, and to no surprise

  • this image was adapted for yet another controversial source.

  • The image is attributed to the illustration from Jerome de Bara's book, "Le Blason des armoiries".

  • The propose code of arms displays a red lion defaced on a golden shield topped with a golden Mural Crown.

  • Now this image is technically not breaking the "Greek rule" because its based of an attributed depiction.

  • But the condentation to Alexander the Great is still there regardless.

  • So that's about it for the Republic of Macedonia or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's symbolism

  • is not short of causing some intense discussion. But, none the less they still make up a small part of the

  • most dysfunctional family in Europe, the Balkans.

  • This has been Flag Friday. You've just been flagged. Stay cool. Stay tuned.

Hey geograpeeps!

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