Rama’s ‘Bektashi State’ proposal raises major concerns, faces negative backlash
Story Highlights
- Prime Minister Edi Rama’s bold proposal to establish a religious state draws criticism for bypassing public consultation, setting a dangerous political precedent.
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TIRANA, Sept 24, 2024 - Prime Minister Edi Rama has ignited a major debate in Albania over his proposal to transform the global Bektashi Order’s headquarters in Tirana into a Vatican-style sovereign state. The Albanian public debate has been almost universally against the idea and there is anger at the prime minister that the Albanian people first heard about the proposal on foreign media outlets and a speech at the UN.
Rama made the announcement during his speech at the Summit of the Future at the UN General Assembly, following a detailed interview with The New York Times where he described the initiative as a bold step toward fostering global religious tolerance and peace. The World Headquarters of the Bektashi Order praised the proposal as an "extraordinary initiative" that could usher in a "new era of global religious harmony and peace promotion."
However, the surprise proposal has sparked a wave of criticism from civil society, religious communities and political analysts, with opponents accusing the government of sidelining national interests for international attention.
-An unconsulted proposal-
Albert Rakipi, chairman of the Albanian Institute for International Studies, criticized the lack of public debate surrounding the proposal. “Before such an idea is made public abroad, it should have been discussed in Albania,” Rakipi said, noting that the proposal bypasses key institutions like parliament and the broader public. He emphasized that such a decision, especially one with complex legal implications, requires comprehensive consultation with various power centers in the country .
Critics also argue that Rama’s proposal is more about gaining international attention than genuinely enhancing Albania’s religious and cultural landscape. Rakipi suggested that the timing of the announcement may be an attempt to deflect attention from domestic challenges, such as upcoming elections and unresolved political problems. He also highlighted the potential for political manipulation of the idea, with conspiracy theories already circulating about its connections to regional players like Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić .
Many view this move as a distraction from more pressing concerns in Albania, where economic and social issues continue to dominate public discourse. Critics believe that Rama is leveraging Albania’s religious harmony and global reputation for interfaith dialogue as a platform to bolster his international profile, rather than genuinely considering the long-term consequences of such a decision. “Muslim microstate as Western headline-grabbing PR ruse while the city [of Tirana] grows as a giant money laundering real estate casino,” Albanian-American historian Elidor Mehilli noted on X.
-Proposal still unclear-
Front page of the international edition of The New York Times on Sept. 23, 2024.
Beyond the political controversy, the legal foundations for establishing a "Sovereign Bektashi State" remain murky. Albania’s constitution explicitly states in Article 1 that the country is a unitary and indivisible state. Transforming a religious community into a sovereign entity would likely require constitutional amendments, a process that demands a two-thirds parliamentary majority -- a significant political hurdle.
"Let's look at the idea itself. The headline of the article in The New York Times is wrong. Albania is not planning to establish a 'Muslim state' in its capital," Rakipi said, adding that would mean a different reality on the theoretical and practical level. "Not all states whose population is Muslim are states based on Islam. In such a state, the ideology of the organization of the state is religion, that is, Islam, and in most cases Islam also serves as the organizing ideology of society." Instead, the idea first relates Bektashi ideology as a religious culture that holds the values of respect and accepting "the other" -- a unique variant of Islam that stands out for its culture of tolerance and coexistence. "The Bektashi faith and community have historically also served as a bridge of unity and cooperation between Muslims and Christians," he added.
Besides promoting this heritage, a state for the Bektashi Order in Albania would be a promotion for the country and, from a cultural and economic perspective, an extraordinary attraction, Rakipi concedes. "Naturally, this is not about establishing a state in the classical sense: with a specific population, a defined territory, and respective institutions that a state has, such as the army, police, bureaucracy, judiciary, tax offices, and other aspects related to internal sovereignty. And as we all know: we Albanians are not very good at building these aspects, including, of course, the Bektashi Albanians. Likewise, there are important aspects related to external sovereignty that need to be clarified," Rakipi said.
- Religious harmony and national identity at stake-
But the proposal raises questions about the broader implications for Albania’s treatment of its religious communities. If one religious order is positively discriminated against, what precedent does this set for others?
The Muslim Community in Albania, which represents the largest religious population in Albania, has already expressed major concerns. In a statement, the MCA emphasized that such decisions should involve consultation with all religious groups, warning that the move could create a “dangerous precedent for the country’s future.”
Akil Pano, a leader in the small Protestant community in Albania, went further, calling Rama’s proposal “an act of national betrayal,” and adding that the issue had not been discussed at all in the country’s interfaith council, which includes all five officially accepted denominations. So far, Albania’s influential Catholic and Orthodox leaders have not made public statements.
Albania’s long-standing tradition of religious harmony is a point of national pride. For centuries, the country has been a model of coexistence between Muslims and Christians. AIIS’ Rakipi acknowledged that the values of the Bektashi Order -- tolerance and coexistence -- are indeed worthy of promotion. However, institutionalizing these values through the creation of a “Sovereign State” risks misunderstanding the country’s unique religious landscape .
While some proponents of the initiative argue that it could enhance Albania’s global standing as a beacon of religious tolerance, others worry that the move is unnecessary and could backfire, both domestically and internationally. On the international stage, Rama has positioned the "Sovereign Bektashi State" as a global center for interfaith dialogue.
The Bektashi Order, whose global headquarters have been based in Tirana since 1929, is seen as a moderate voice promoting peace and tolerance. The Bekatashis make up about 5 percent of Albania’s population as per the 2023 census, but they’ve been influential in Albanian history with key literary and political leaders in the 19th century onward being Bektashis. Persecuted in Anatolia, where the sect has its roots, it moved its global headquarters in Albania under King Zog’s rule.
-A hot potato for the Bektashis themselves-
Influential Bektashis in Albanian politics and academia -- ranging from former President Ilir Meta to promininant historian Pellumb Xhufi -- have urged the spiritual leaders of the order not to be used through the proposal -- seen by many as a way for Prime Minister Rama to get or divert attention at home and abroad. Meta called the move “a stun grenade aimed to divert attention away from corruption.” Xhufi told Albanian media the proposal was “anti-constitutional” and potentially damaging to Albania’s relations both domestically and with neighboring countries. “The creation of a state within a state is unconstitutional. It creates problems with our neighbors, as well as tensions within our own communities. As a Bektashi myself, I ask, what is this new state?” he said.
Some Bektashi representatives in other countries, such as Turkey for example, have also spoken out in opposition to the idea.
Albania has long been praised for its religious pluralism, where Sunni Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Catholics and smaller sects like the Bektashi order have coexisted peacefully. However, the prospect of formalizing a separate Bektashi state has raised alarms about potential strains on this delicate balance.
