And the flags don't help. Their only distinguishing features are in the shields — a cross with two horizontal crossbeams in Slovakia's and a depiction of three mountain peaks in Slovenia's.

So last year the Parliament of this country, which broke away from Yugoslavia 13 years ago, sponsored a competition for a flag that would be unlike that not only of Slovakia, about 300 kilometers, or 190 miles, to the northeast, but of the host of other countries that hoist stripes of red, white and shades of blue.

The winning design is very modern with 11 horizontal blue, white and red stripes linked in the middle to form four triangles that serve as symbols of the country's peaks and valleys.

"A country like Slovenia which is not as well known as Holland or France needs a flag with maximum expression," said Dusan Jovanovic, a Slovene graphic designer, whose entry was chosen over 250 others by a panel of legislators, academics, and graphic artists. He received 3.9 million Slovenian tolars, or almost $20,000.

He designed it, he said, for the Internet era. Even at a height of one centimeter on a computer screen, the flag can be identified, he claimed.

But despite the positive opinion of the competition judges, the popular response has been lukewarm, and sometimes outright negative.

"I don't like it," Rop said in the interview. "I prefer the one we have."

Matjaz Gantar, a businessmen, said he didn't particularly like the current flag but didn't see any need to change it.