Statutes

Annex to the Act No. 404/90 Coll.

Art. 1

The White Lion Order shall be awarded by the President of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic exclusively to citizens of other countries who made eminent contributions to this Republic.

Art. 2

The President of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic shall be entitled to wear insignia of the First Class of the Order, including collar chain of the Order.

Art. 3

(1) The White Lion Order comes in five classes, First Class being the highest. Upon awarding individual classes of the Order the measure of merits is to be decisive. Together with the insignia of the First Class of the Order the heads of other states may be awarded the collar chain of the Order, too.

(2) The White Lion Order comprises two divisions - Civil Division and Military Division.

Art. 4

(1) The badge of the White Lion Order is a garnet red enamelled star-shaped ornament with five arms. The arms are joined together by linden leaves with stems pointing towards the centre. A central medallion on the obverse of the badge takes the form of a crowned two-tailed silver lion extending over the arms. A medallion placed centrally on the reverse of the badge bears the Greater Coat of Arms of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic encircled by a raised golden ring with the words "VERITAS VINCIT" ("Truth Shall Prevail") inscribed in blue and a blue linden leaf between the letters at the bottom. The upper arm of the badge is attached to a suspension which takes the form of an elliptical linden wreath with palm leaves lying across it on the insignia of the Civil Division and crossed swords, points up, on that of the Military one. The coat of arms, the suspension, the ring, the frame of the badge and the linden leaves are made of yellow metal.

(2) The insignia of the First Class of the Order consists of the badge of the Order on a ribbon sash to be worn across the breast, extended from the right shoulder to the left hip, and a star to be worn on the left side of the breast. The diameter of the badge is 68 mm; the linden wreath which forms the suspension is 35x25 mm in size. The ribbon sash is 100 mm wide, red-white-red- white-red, the widths of the stripes being 5:15:60:15:5 mm. At the point where the ends of the ribbon sash meet a bow is attached, covering a fastener to hold the badge. The red on all ribbons is scarlet red. The star, made up of brilliant silver rays, is eight-pointed, 90 mm in diameter; a garnet red medallion placed at its centre bears a plastic crowned two-tailed silver lion encircled by a ring with the words "VERITAS VINCIT" ("Truth Shall Prevail") inscribed in silver and a silver linden leaf between the letters at the bottom. The central piece on the reverse of the star bears the Greater Coat of Arms of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic.

(3) The collar chain of the Order is made up of twenty links joined together by shorter chains extending between every two neighbouring links along the collar's inner and outer boundaries. The suspension link to hold the badge takes the form of a white enamelled monogram with the initials "CSFR" (for "Ceska a Slovenska federativni republika", i.e. "The Czech and Slovak Federative Republic"). The other links alternately symbolize union of the Czech and the Slovak nations in the common state. The suspension link is 40x30 mm in size, the collar chain is made of heavily gilded silver, and the links are 2 mm thick.

(4) The insignia of the Second Class of the Order consists of the badge of the Order on a neck ribbon and a smaller star to be worn on the right side of the breast. The diameter of the badge is 62 mm; the suspension is 30x20 mm in size and comes with a perpendicular, garnet enamelled, trapezoid suspension loop, which is 35x8x4 mm in size. The neck ribbon is 45 mm wide, red-white-red-white-red, the widths of the stripes being 3:7:25:7:3 mm. The star is the same as that of the First Class, except that its diameter is 70 mm. The central piece on the reverse of the star bears the Greater Coat of Arms of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.

(5) The insignia of the Third Class of the Order is the same as that of the Second Class, except that it does not include the star.

(6) The insignia of the Fourth Class of the Order consists of the badge of the Order, 45 mm in diameter, with the suspension, which is 20x15 mm in size. The badge is suspended from a breast ribbon, threaded through, 38 mm wide, with a rosette whose diameter is 20 mm; the ribbon is red-white-red-white-red, the widths of the stripes being 2:6:22:6:2 mm.

(7) The insignia of the Fifth Class of the Order is made of silver, except for the enamelled parts; no rosette comes with the breast ribbon. In all other respects, the insignia is the same as that of the Fourth Class.

(8) On such occasions when the insignia of the Order is not to be worn "in natura" substitute ribbons, 38x10 mm in size, replace it when the holder appears in uniform. The ribbons come with different embellishments as follows:
First Class: a silver miniature of a lion with two linden leaves;
Second Class: a silver miniature of a lion;
Third Class: a rosette on a bed of gold thread;
Fourth Class: a rosette;
Fifth Class: no additional embellishment.

(9) When the holder appears in civilian attire rosettes are worn in the buttonhole of the left lapel, coming with different embellishments as follows:
First Class: a lion and a bed of gold thread;
Second Class: a lion and a bed of silver thread;
Third Class: a bed of gold thread;
Fourth Class: a bed of silver thread;
Fifth Class: no additional embellishment.
The diameter of the rosettes is 20 mm.

(10) The registration numbers are inscribed on the reverse of the suspension attached to the badge of the Order, on the reverse of the suspension link of the collar chain and on the upper edge of the central piece on the reverse of the star.

Art. 5

(1) The holder of the Order is given the numbered Order insignia with the numbered certificate. The awarded insignia of a lower class are not to be returned upon awarding the higher class and remain to their holders.

(2) After the demise of a holder of the Order all the Order insignia and certificates are left with the surviving family. If there are no survivors, they are returned to the Office of the President of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.

Art. 6

The affairs relating to the White Lion Order shall be administered by the Office of the President of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.