High-ranking delegation of the Republic of Turkey, with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim at the helm, paid an official visit to Sarajevo last week. One of the topics discussed at meetings with Bosnia's senior officials was the security situation.

The Turkish Prime Minister thanked Bosnia's authorities for support they provided during the attempted coup in Turkey, and expressed expectations that activities on preventing operations of Fethullah Gulen’s movement (FETO) in Bosnia would continue.  

“The FETO organization operates in more than 160 countries. I thank Bosnian authorities, which made certain steps in preventing their operations, both in the educational sector and the business sector, but we know that their activities are still ongoing and this is why we would like Bosnia's efforts in solving this problem to continue,” Yildirim stressed.  

Chairman of Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Zvizdic, stated that Bosnia's authorities would continue working with institutions of the Republic of Turkey and prevent all activities that might jeopardize stability of Bosnia or disturb friendly relations of the two countries.  

Following the attempted coup in Turkey, certain educational institutions, associations of citizens and companies in Bosnia were linked to the FETO.

Security Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dragan Mektic, told N1 that no official measure of extradition or expulsion of citizens back to Turkey was taken.  

He refused to talk on this subject, noting only it was a very sensitive topic.  

‘Bosna Sema’ educational institutions, which have been operating in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zenica and Bihać since 1998, are in focus of attention. Following the attempted coup in Turkey, the property worth BAM 120 million was offered to the Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina as an endowment, which was rejected because of alleged debts.

The USA-based company ‘Global Education’ has become the owner in November 2016 but only until March 2018, when the British consortium ‘Stirling Education Fund International Burch University’ – the leading private, higher education institution in Bosnia – became the owner.  

Although no official measure of extradition or expulsion was taken, city authorities of Sarajevo annulled in 2016 a previously passed decision to hand over the Plaque of the City to Ali Lafcioglu, professor of ‘Bosna Sema’ institutions, following the initiative of then City Mayor Ivo Komsic.  

The City of Sarajevo, with Mayor Abdulah Skaka at the helm, also created some sort of a scandal by withdrawing a decision on awarding Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk. Pamuk is not Gulen's supporter but is one of the main critics of work of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.