Turkish Deputy PM attends graduation ceremony in Bosnia

BELGRADE, Serbia

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus attended the graduation ceremony of the International University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina Saturday.

Kurtulmus congratulated the graduates and their parents at the ceremony and wished them success.

Speaking about the university, Kurtulmus said: "Bosnia and Herzegovina needed a new university while the girl students who were wearing headscarves in Turkey were not able to go to universities [at home], many Imam Hatip high school students were not going to universities of their choice due to this factor. The International University of Sarajevo was born at this point where these two needs merged."

The university was founded by Turkish businessmen in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo in 2004.

University’s Rector Dr. Yucel Ogurlu said 167 undergraduate, 59 masters and five doctoral students graduated this year.

The ceremony was attended by the university’s founder Hasan Topaloglu, member of the board of trustees Prof. Dr. Zuhuri Sarikaya, Turkey's Ambassador in Sarajevo Cihad Erginay, representatives of Turkish institutions and organizations as well as parents and students.