TIRANA, June 19 – Just days ahead of Albania’s general elections, Turkish President Recep Taip Erdogan has given a lengthy interview to an Albanian television station, urging for unity among the country’s politicians and communities and citing risks Albania faces from the outside.
“Albania is a very unique country, housing very different groups, following different religions and cultures, and, in my point of view, Albania has a different respectfulness with the Muslim population and with the Christian population. There is a very rich co-existence. This richness, I hope and pray, shall be sustained in the future by Albania,” Erdogan said. “And there are those who are spending efforts to separate and divide Albania. I hope and pray they will hit a wall, because with these features, with these sensitivities, Albania becomes even a more beautiful country. This richness, this wealth of Albania, should never be touched by anyone. The people and the government in Albania should never allow others touch this wealth.”
President Erdogan also said he wished the best of luck to “dear friend” Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, but denied Turkey supports or backs any particular party in an interview with Top Channel, one of Albania’s largest television stations.
“Mr. Prime Minister, and my dear friend Edi, right now I would like to wish him the best of luck in his endeavors. The recently elected President, I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors as well. I personally attach great significance to the solidarity between the Prime Minister and the President.” President Erdogan said. “The forthcoming elections in Albania will mark the beginning of a new era. I believe that the people of Albania will strengthen their own future.”
Noting the new divide between the Rama and Ilir Meta, the president-elect, over the political split between their parties, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration, said he hoped the divisions would be sorted out.
“Such divisions between a President and a Prime Minister will not bring any gains to any country. It would make any country lose a lot of things. I know that in this period the debates will be remedied, and with the new elections, the spirit of solidarity and the spirit of togetherness will bring forth a new kind of strength to the entire Albania. And Albania is standing strongly on its own feet. I know that Albania will take benefit of the future that lies ahead,” President Erdogan added.
He said Turkey would do whatever it can politically, commercially, culturally, military-wise to provide all sorts of support to Albania.
“We are determined to provide all sorts of support to Albania whenever it is needed, because we think Albania is a very important country in the Balkan. It is a source of solidarity, and in terms of preserving stability, I think Albania plays a crucial role. The stability of the Balkans is very important after all,” Erdogan said.
Asked whether it is true that Turkey actively supports particular parties in Albania and the region President Erdogan said that was not true.
“I think this is a very ugly claim. Saying that would not be very pretty. There might be political parties with whom we share same ideologies. In Europe there might be political parties that we see eye to eye with. Many political parties in the Balkan countries are expressing their opinions with their counterparts in other European countries. This happens. Of course, there are political parties willing to benefit from our experiences. There are political parties willing to learn about our political experiences and political opinions. And we would be more than happy to help them intellectually. This is the transmission of an experience which should not disturb anybody,” President Erdogan said.
In economic terms. President Erdogan added that Turkish investments in Albania have reached a very serious level, around 3 billion dollars.
“I am not sure how much of investments have you been receiving from the European member states. And these investments of Turkey will not come to a halt. On the contrary, these investments will be sustained. Especially in Marina investments, there will be some initiatives taken up. In this region, Turkey, Greece and Italy will become preferred trade partners, and they will be taking a leap forward altogether, especially in the field of tourism,” he said.
President Erdogan also reaffirmed his government’s request to Albania to veer away from institutions set up by the network led by Fethullah Gà¼len, whom Turkey accuses of being behind the failed coup last year.
“I would like to voice a special request for the Albanian people. Please don’t send your students to the schools ran by the Fetulahists. And secondly, my dear friend, Edi Rama, I had a special request for him. I would like to voice the same request, vis-à -vis the President: Please, no longer have confidence in the schools of these Fetulahists. Instead, contact the Maarif Foundation Schools, co-established by the Turkish Ministry of Education. Because the Maarif Schools will not victimize the Albanian youth, and they will be educated in the best fashion possible,” President Erdogan said.
The full interview is available in English here: https://goo.gl/ZcE211
