Names, Symbols and Controversy
In Croatian the term županija (county) is used, while in Bosnian and Serbian, the term is kanton. The canton is officially referred by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as Canton 10/County 10 (Kanton 10 or Županija 10). The local government however refers to it as the Herzeg-Bosnia County (Hercegbosanska županija) and uses that name in the local constitution. It references the self-proclaimed entity of Herzeg-Bosnia that existed during the Bosnian war. This name has been deemed unconstitutional by the Federation's Constitutional Court partly because it "does not cover any part of the traditional region of Herzegovina". That geographic proof is however disputed since the borders of Herzegovina are not strictly geographically, and especially not legally determined. Other names used at the national level include West Bosnia Canton/County (Zapadnobosanski kanton, Zapadnobosanska županija) and Livno Canton (Livanjski kanton), after its capital.
The flag and coat of arms of the canton were the same as the flag and coat of arms of the former Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia. West Herzegovina canton was another canton in Bosnia and Herzegovina which also used this flag and coat of arms. However, these symbols were deemed unconstitutional by the Federation Constitutional Court, because "it only represented one group". The local government, however, continues using these illegal symbols, despite court ruling. The coat of arms is used at plates at the official institutions. Due the name and symbols dispute, the local police up to this day has no official badges.
Read more about this topic: Canton 10
Famous quotes containing the words symbols and/or controversy:
“There are those who would keep us slipping back into the darkness of division, into the snake pit of racial hatred, of racial antagonism and of support for symbols of the struggle to keep African-Americans in bondage.”
—Carol Moseley-Braun (b. 1947)
“And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1579–1688)