President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised Albania's efforts to end the Gülenist Terror Group's (FETÖ) activities in the country, as he discussed Türkiye-Albania ties, regional and global developments, with Prime Minister Edi Rama on Thursday, the Presidential Communications Directorate said.

Noting that bilateral relations between the two countries are at an advanced level, Erdoğan told Rama that trade, economic, military, and defense industry cooperation would further strengthen ties.

He also noted that Albania's efforts to obstruct FETÖ activities were crucial and that he believes Tirana would continue to strive to end FETO presence in education, health and religious institutions.

FETÖ, led by U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen, orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 wounded.

FETÖ is accused of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

The general characteristic of the bilateral relations between Türkiye and Albania is mutual friendship, trust and solidarity. Successful high-level and technical visits and contacts are carried out periodically between the two countries.

The considerable number of Turkish citizens of Albanian origin living in Türkiye and of Albanians who chose to stay in Türkiye due to education, health and employment or marriage and the growing size of the Turkish community settling in Albania, either as employers or professionals, strengthen the cooperation potential of the two countries.

Türkiye considers Albania a strategically important country for establishing enduring peace and stability in the Balkans and supports its integration with the European and Euro-Atlantic institutions. In 2013, Türkiye was declared "a strategic partner" by Albania.