Turkey expects Albania to take immediate action against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) structure in the country and not let bilateral relations be overshadowed for this reason, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday while addressing the Albanian Parliament.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana earlier in the day, Erdoğan also once again underlined the threat of the FETÖ.
As bilateral ties with Albania have been growing steadily, the Turkish government expects the Balkan country to take more concrete steps against the terror group FETÖ, Erdoğan said.
"It is obvious that this structure, which has the blood of innocents on its hands, poses a great threat not only to Turkey but also to every country in which it exists," he said.
"It deeply wounds us that (FETÖ) has still an area of activity in Albania. It is our sincere expectation that more concrete, decisive and rapid steps will be taken against the FETÖ organization in Albania in the coming period," he added.
FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the failed coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.
Ankara accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
On bilateral trade, the Turkish president said it reached $853 billion in 2021, up 68% from a year earlier, and the two countries set a new target of $1 billion. He also said that Turkey is already one of the top investors in Albania, with over 600 companies employing thousands of people.
"With this determination, we should continue to deepen our relations in every area," Erdoğan said.
The two also discussed the issue of the strategic partnership level of relations, the Turkish president said, adding that they highlighted the importance of making the high-level cooperation council mechanism more operational.
The council will meet in the first half of 2022, Erdoğan said.
Responding to a question by a reporter on questions about the EU's credibility, Erdoğan said that the bloc and NATO need Turkey in the Balkans, as it enjoys close ties with regional countries through its historical legacy and other factors, and added that NATO's approach to the Balkans is more important than the EU's.
The president underlined that Turkey is an "honorable and a powerful member" of NATO while the EU continues to use "delaying tactics" towards Turkey's membership bid.
Erdoğan also stressed that Turkey cares about peace and tranquility in the Balkans and it is one of the guarantor countries for regional peace.
Rama, for his part, said Turkey is an indispensable and irreplaceable element for EU security, and stressed that he says as much in talks with NATO and the EU along with bilateral talks.
The premier asserted that the EU should not be at all disturbed by the close relations of Turkey and Albania as the ties have deep roots.
Rama applauded Turkey's role in helping promote peace in the Balkans and said smear campaigns targeting Erdoğan are fake and divorced from reality.
The countries also signed a total of seven agreements in various areas, including disaster and emergency management, the media, state archives, culture and the arts, as well as security, and youth and sports.
Before the joint press conference, agreements were signed between the two countries in the presence of Erdoğan and Rama.
Earlier in the day, President Erdoğan attended a handover ceremony for over 500 housing units a Turkish agency built for earthquake victims in Albania.
Speaking at the ceremony, Erdoğan said that Turkey will stand with Albania out of fellowship, which means being there when needed without waiting for a call.
"We are crowning the friendship between Turkey and Albania with the handover of these houses," he said.
A total of 522 housing units, worth some 42 million euros ($48 million), were built for the northwestern town of Laç, which was struck by a quake in November 2019, Erdoğan added.
Over 50 people died in the 6.4 magnitude quake, including seven children, and 900 were injured. Some 1,200 buildings were destroyed.
After the quake struck, Ankara sent Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and Health Ministry teams to the region to help search, recovery and aid efforts.
During the ceremony, Erdoğan was also given honorary citizenship in the local Kurbin municipality.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Albanian Prime Minister Rama hailed the day as "extraordinarily special.”
Mentioning a conversation he had with Erdoğan before he became premier in 2013, Rama said: "(Erdoğan) told me that ‘Albania and Kosovo are in my heart. Albanians are in the hearts of the Turkish people. I want you to be my brother.’ ... I am honored to consider myself Erdoğan’s friend.”
Telling how he is frequently asked about his close friendship with the Turkish president, Rama underlined that Erdoğan is a person who does what he says and says what he does.
Erdoğan arrived in the capital Tirana early Monday and was welcomed by Rama with an official ceremony.
Before the dignitaries began their talks, the national anthems of both countries were played. The Turkish president was also presented an honor guard.
Erdoğan's visit comes at the invitation of the Albanian prime minister.
During his visit, all aspects of the strategic partnership between Turkey and Albania and steps to enhance bilateral cooperation were expected to be discussed.
Erdoğan also inaugurated the historic 18th century Hajji Ethem Bey Mosque in the capital Tirana, which was restored by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).
Erdoğan added that Turkey is ready to maintain its support to Albania through the TIKA, as he inaugurated the Ottoman-era Ethem Bey Mosque following restoration work by the agency.
He said the Ethem Bey Mosque-originally built between about 1791 and 1819-is a piece of historical and cultural heritage shared by Turkey and Albania, and the mosque was restored back to its former glory with help of his country.
According to the president, the state-run TIKA has realized a total of 546 projects in Albania since 1996, and Turkey is eager to stand with the people of Albania in the future.
Rama said he was glad to be opening the mosque together with Erdoğan, who he said is an indispensable partner for Albania, with the mosque reflecting the age-old traditional ties with the Turkish people.
Last year Turkey also built a new hospital to help Albania cope with the coronavirus pandemic. Turkey is one of Albania's largest investors and trading partners, contributing to infrastructure investment and development.
