Italy-Bosnia deal does not include university degrees: MUR

(ANSA) - PALERMO, MAR 9 - "It does not seem that the bilateral agreement between Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina that was supposed to implement (according to Art. 9) the cooperation between the two countries, set forth by law on February 10, 2015, has ever included, "a deal that in particular was supposed to establish "the recognition of university degrees by direct equivalence." The Italian Ministry of University and Research clarified when asked by ANSA about the case of "ghost degrees" from the Jean Monnet Department of European Studies, which Italy's Guardia di Finanza is investigating by order of the Palermo Public Prosecutor's Office.
    Professor Salvatore Messina, the department's rector, his son Dario, and Salvatore Culotta, a citizen of Marsala, have been recorded in the " record of suspects" for fraud, money laundering, self-laundering, and tax offenses. Dozens of students hold bogus degrees.
    The department leveraged the agreement between Italy and Bosnia to persuade students to enroll in courses with tuition fees of up to 20,000 euros per year, as seen in the brochures and information materials distributed. From this clarification by the MUR, it emerges that the information given by the Jean Monnet Department was false.
    Regarding a possible authorization request, the ministry reiterates that "there is no record of any application by the Jean Monnet Department, as far as we are concerned, regarding the accreditation of a new university institution." Then, it specifies, "In November 2022, an application was received from the University of Gorazde for accreditation of a foreign institution in Italy, under DM (Minister's Decree, ed.) 214/2004." (ANSA).