In the case of the sale of counterfeit diplomas at private universities and the “Cluster” operation, a plea agreement was considered before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The court sentenced the defendants to prison sentences, and fines were imposed on legal entities.
Mirko Tufegdžija and Vaso Pajić were sentenced to a single prison sentence of two years for conspiracy to commit criminal offenses, abuse of office, illicit trade, and forgery of documents. The Court of BiH imposed a suspended sentence if they do not commit a new criminal offense in the next five years. The Union College from Mostar is required to pay a fine of 50 thousand marks. For the other defendants, although they pleaded guilty and signed an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, the Court of BiH issued a ruling:
“The three plea agreements concluded between the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and the defendants Vladimir Stojanović, Vojislav Škrbić and the legal entity “Viktoria International” University are rejected; the confession from this agreement cannot be used as evidence in criminal proceedings,” said Judge Mirslav Janjić of the Court of BiH.
Thus, the trial for these individuals will continue before the Court of BiH. According to the evidence collected, at least 49 higher education diplomas were issued to individuals who did not study, at prices ranging from 3,500 to 10,000 marks. The Court of BiH issued a ruling to merge this proceeding with the proceeding against Zoran Kalinić, former rector of the Independent University in Banja Luka.
“The proceedings against the accused Vladimir Stojanović, Vojislav Škrbić and the legal entity Viktorija International University before the Trial Chamber of the Court of BiH are being merged with the proceedings against Zoran Kalinić before this Trial Chamber,” Janjić pointed out.
Operation “Cluster” began in February 2023, and resulted in an indictment against 21 people. They were accused of selling degrees in medicine, law, forestry, economics and numerous other professions. The private universities operated in the areas of Banja Luka, Mostar and the Brčko District.
