WHEN POLITICS INTERFERES: SIPA investigators awarded, while BiH Prosecutor's Office has no indictment for fake diplomas from private universities after four months

By Amra Vrabac

After almost four months since the Cluster operation, which the BiH Prosecutor's Office characterized as part of efforts to combat systemic corruption and organized crime, processes at private universities and colleges that were the target of searches are proceeding as usual.

Students are enrolling, accreditation processes are continuing, and no managers or suspects are in custody, even though 10 people were arrested on February 21st.

Yesterday, we received an answer from the BiH Prosecutor's Office regarding the stage of this case, as an indictment was expected by now.

"The case is in the investigation phase, evidence is being collected, and necessary expert examinations are being conducted. Once a prosecutorial decision is made, the public will be informed," the BiH Prosecutor's Office stated in its response.

When the BiH Prosecutor's Office conducted the operation on February 21st at several universities in both entities and the Brčko District, everything seemed like a well-prepared operation with collected evidence:

"The activities are being carried out after long-term investigative actions, together with SIPA, to suppress organized crime and systemic corruption, related to the illegal issuance and illicit trade of university diplomas in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This operation is part of the efforts of the BiH Prosecutor's Office and law enforcement agencies to combat systemic corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to identify and prosecute individuals who, by committing criminal offenses, cause great damage to the rule of law and all citizens, as well as to the academic and university community in the segment of higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina," the statement read.

However, regardless of the investigative actions already carried out, the BiH Prosecutor's Office is now collecting evidence. Everything indicates a delay in the case and even a minimization of the committed criminal offenses.

On the other hand, SIPA investigators received monetary rewards for this operation, although they were initially told that there would be no reward because they had "documented the wrong universities."

During the searches, 450,000 KM were found, which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds from the sale of diplomas.

For years, undercover SIPA investigators collected information at these universities under the guise of students, who, for a sum of money, obtained not one, not two, but three university diplomas without ever attending lectures or fulfilling other obligations. Thus, in just a few months, the investigators received three different diplomas from three different universities. Money for the diplomas was given through intermediaries, and within a few months, they received the diplomas "by hand." The registry books were later altered to "retroactively show student enrollment." However, by following the money trail, it is clear that these individuals were never actually enrolled.

These are private universities in Brčko, Banja Luka, Travnik, and Mostar. They were mostly accredited in 2020 and 2021, and their accreditation commissions included professors, two of whom would later become members of the Management Board of the Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance, and one is even the owner of two universities under investigation.

What further complicates the situation is the conduct of the Agency for Higher Education of Republika Srpska, as accreditation procedures for universities continue as if the investigation does not exist.

This case cannot be viewed separately from political processes, as Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska, was among the first to react after the searches.

He called for all other private universities, mostly in Široki Brijeg, Mostar, and Travnik, to be checked, as well as diplomas of employees in BiH institutions. Many have advanced and achieved high salaries thanks to express diplomas. What also raises questions is how many employees from BiH institutions were involved in the teaching process at these universities, and how many at those not covered by this investigation. Those familiar with these situations believe that this was a targeted operation to weaken some universities and increase the number of students at others.

Incidentally, the process of verifying diplomas of employees in BiH institutions has never been implemented, although many have enriched themselves from the state budget thanks to questionable diplomas.

In a statement from March 3rd, the BiH Prosecutor's Office stated that in this criminal case, they are continuing planned activities in cooperation with all competent authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the aim of collecting evidence on decisive facts related to systemic corruption, illicit trade, organized crime, and money laundering in the field of higher education.

The BiH Prosecutor's Office has been unable to complete the investigation into the American University in BiH for years. This university enrolled students in the Canton of Sarajevo for years, organized diploma award ceremonies, and never had a permit to operate in KS. Although it was founded in Tuzla, the Ministry of Education of Tuzla Canton did not supervise this university for 15 years, and it suspended its teaching activities in March 2020. Although its founder, Denis Prcić, is a suspect, the Tuzla Canton Prosecutor's Office has still not filed an indictment. The only ones at a loss are the students who have lost both their money and their diplomas.