The question of bilingual place-name signs in the State of Carinthia has been unresolved for a long time. In recent years, the AOB approached the Constitutional Court a number of times in this matter. The Court has concurred three times with the petition set out by the AOB. Place-name signs: contested before the Consitutional Court The AOB is of the opinion that directives by the Administrative District Authority Völkermarkt regarding the towns of Ebersdorf/Drveša vas, Bleiburg/Pliberk and Schwabegg/Žvabek continue to not be equipped with proper signage. Due to reports in the media, the AOB initiated an ex-officio investigative proceeding, in order to bring its misgivings to the attention of the Constitutional Court yet again. In the opinion of the AOB, the contested place-name signs do not comply with the principle, which can be derived from the law relative to ethnic/national groups and minorities, that German designations and designations in the language of the ethnic/national group and/or minority be coequal and not be used in a discriminatory way. 21