Citroen Controversy as Company Re-draws Balkan Nations
The news:
As part of its promotional material, Citroen published a map which has caused controversy and potentially damaged the brand’s reputation, particularly in Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro. The map depicts an incorrect division of land and it appears that the borders of Balkan nations that fought wars in the early 1990’s have been re-drawn. Bosnia is merged with Serbia and Croatia, Montenegro is merged into Serbia, and Slovenia has been given a large slice of Croatia. A month after the image was published Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro sent protest letters to Citroen. Citroen replied with a letter of apology stating that all copies had been destroyed and distribution had been called to a halt.
Behind the news:
The issue is particularly sensitive as it was rumoured that the late presidents of Serbia and Croatia had made a secret pact to divide Bosnia between their ex-Yugoslavian republics. The inter-ethnic wars in Bosnia cost at least 100,000 lives, leading to the break up of the six-republic communist federation.