Turkish president visit opens doors to Tirana Grand Mosque, reaffirms strong ties
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- The Namazgja Mosque is in downtown Tirana, where Catholic and Christian Orthodox cathedrals were built earlier in the post-communist transition.
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TIRANA, Oct. 11, 2024 - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made an official visit to Tirana on Thursday, reiterating the strong ties between the two countries -- opening the doors to the region’s largest mosque, providing drones for the Albanian military and promising to double trade ties.
President Erdogan and Prime Minister Edi Rama inaugurated the Tirana Namzgjah Mosque, a multi-year and much anticipated project built with Turkish funding that will solve the pressing problem of a missing large modern mosque in the Albanian capital, where most mosques were destroyed by the communist regime.
At the press conference with Rama, Erdogan called for an increase in bilateral trade, aiming to double it to 2 billion euros annually. Also newsworthy, is the fact that Albania will receive a significant number of kamikaze drones from Turkey, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced during the joint news conference. While the exact type of drones and amount remains unspecified, Erdogan confirmed the military aid, highlighting Turkey’s ongoing commitment to bolstering Albania's defense capabilities, including support in training and equipping its military forces.
Erdogan’s visit to Albania is part of a broader effort to deepen Turkey’s economic and diplomatic ties with Balkan nations. He headed for a visit to Serbia after leaving Albania.
-Tirana Grand Mosque inaugurated-
After decades of anticipation, the Namazgja Mosque has been inaugurated in the heart of the Albanian capital. The multi-functional building is the largest mosque in the Balkans, able to host 8,000 worshipers at the same time, with construction starting in 2015 with financial backing from Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet).
While the building was nearly completed by 2019, its inauguration was delayed by five more years, primarily due to a power struggle between Diyanet and the Albanian Muslim Community (KMSH). An agreement seems to have been reached to have the mosque under a foundation that will be jointly run.
In his speech during the ceremony, Prime Minister Rama, who is a non-practicing Catholic, emphasized the harmony between different religious communities in Albania. He drew connections between the mosque and Albania’s spiritual identity, symbolizing religious unity between Islam and Christianity.
Quoting a well-known Albanian figure, Haxhi Hafiz Ibrahim Dalliu, who played a key role in Albania’s 1912 independence from the Ottoman Empire, Rama remarked, "This mosque completes the spiritual flag of our capital... a flag that embraces both Islam and Christianity, declaring brotherhood among faiths."
Turkish President Erdogan used the occasion to underline the deep-rooted historical and cultural ties between Turkey and the Balkans. He highlighted the mosque's importance, calling it "the largest mosque in the Balkans," and a symbol of Turkey’s lasting influence in the region.
-Mosque opening long-anticipated-
The Namazgja Mosque is in downtown Tirana, where Catholic and Christian Orthodox cathedrals were built earlier in the post-communist transition. The largest religious community in the country, Albania’s Sunni Muslims make up about 46 percent of the population, according to the latest census. Religion was banned under Albania's communist regime, and religious buildings were destroyed or repurposed across the country.
Despite the significance of the mosque’s opening, its leadership remains a contentious issue. The top officials of KMSH were notably absent from the event, with only the Mufti of Tirana, Gazmend Teqja, present to represent the community. Teqja, who is expected to lead the mosque, is set to manage it through a foundation that includes Turkish representatives, a compromise reflecting Diyanet's influence in the mosque’s administration.
The absence of KMSH’s leadership is linked to longstanding tensions with the Turkish government. Erdogan’s administration has labeled KMSH leaders as “Gülenists,” a term that makes them adversaries in the eyes of Ankara due to their alleged ties to the movement led by cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom Turkey blames for the 2016 failed coup attempt. Since then, Erdogan has pressured Albania to take action against Gülen-linked entities, and several schools and organizations in the country have been closed or forced to disassociate from Gülen’s network.