A gratitude and two insults of Erdogan’s visit to Tirana

20 Janar 2022, 12:28, English CNA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, known as an autocrat and the inventor of neo-Ottomanism, arrived in Tirana on the day of the death of the National Hero, Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg. Prime Minister Edi Rama said that this was a coincidence.

Patriots on social networks erupted in harsh reactions. In fact, there should have been a different approach to the entire agenda of the Turkish president, to read calmly the latter?s visit. Leaving aside nationalism about Skanderbeg or the spirit of past centuries.

Let us focus on the present, on this current policy, and on Turkey?s relationship with Albania, where it is true that Erdogan and Rama have a special relationship between them. But the Turkish president had a similar relationship with former Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

We recall here the inauguration of Nation Road in 2009. It is obvious that Erdogan has a special affection for Albania. But as always autocrats want to control, and give orders for everything. And it?s enough to read what happened.

First, President Erdogan should be thanked for the housing construction in Lac. On the other hand, he built a hospital in Fier of very good standards. He also reconstructed the mosque, the symbol of the capital, that of Et?hem Bey. Erdogan also delivered a speech in parliament, and this is where begin his two insults.

The first is his approach to parliament when talking about Turkey?s internal affairs. What does the Albanian parliament have to do with the FETO issue or the coup in Turkey? As only Erdogan has known as such, because the European Union and the US have a different approach.

Moreover, Fethullah Gulen, Erdogan?s cleric and close associate, lives in the US, free and under the protection of the US administration. Erdogan?s speech in the Albanian parliament and the attacks on FETO, constitute an insult to the parliament.

And there are no real men, who should raise their hand and say:?This is your personal and internal issue of Turkey, it has nothing to do with Albania!?. The second insult of Erdogan was what he did with the Albanian Muslim Community.

He inaugurated the restoration of the Et?hem Bey mosque, and Albanian clerics were absent. He had taken an imam from Turkey, put them all in a row, cut a ribbon and said ?Enjoy it!?. But what does Erdogan have to do with the Albanian clergy? Why Erdogan doesn?t recognize the Albanian Muslim Community?

What does the Government of Turkey have to do with who is the head of the Muslim Community, the Orthodox Church, or the Catholic Church? Why does it intervene in the midst of Albanian religious communities? So the public should have reacted to the insult in parliament and to the Albanian Muslim Community.

But no one talks about why the Albanian Muslim Community was desecrated, simply because Erdogan doesn?t like the head of the Muslim Community and other leaders. But that doesn?t matter to us at all. The Albanian Muslim community belongs to the muslims of Albania. They have the right to gather and elect their own leader.

They are a community that is worthily represented. They have a community that has a religious spirit of model cooperation and not autocratic as Erdogan loves. On the other hand, the clerics of the Muslim Community are not called to public activities because they don?t like Erdogan.

Thanks for the help Mr.President, but go home. What do you have to do with who is the imam of our house? What would happen if the president of Greece or Italy came here and took with them the priest to inaugurate the churches as they wished? This will be just as offensive and the reaction would be harsher.

Albanians must react to Erdogan?s insult to the Albanian Muslim Community. Albania is a strategic partner of Turkey, appreciates and thanks it for the assistance it has given. But she doesn?t interfere in Turkey?s internal affairs.

Just as Turkey has no business in Albania?s internal affairs, either political or religious. Why should the Turkish president come here and give us lectures on who are the imams he loves or who are the businesses and organizations he likes, in education, health, or elsewhere.

The involvement of Albania and the Albanian parliament in the internal political affairs of Turkey and the crackdown, denial, exclusion, which he made towards the Albanian Muslim Community is clearly a spirit that incites division within the Muslim Community, and is very damaging for the society and Albanian state. Such behavior towards the Muslim Community is an act that brings irreparable consequences and incites disruption when we have an exemplary religious coexistence./CNA.al

The official link of the article is this:

Një falenderim dhe dy fyerjet e vizitës së Erdoganit në Tiranë