Editor’s take
Both at a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana, and in his address to Parliament visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan laid the stress on the threat of what he called the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) on Monday.
“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 calling on the local authorities to step up the fight against that organization. “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.”
Addressing the Parliament, Erdoğan told the 140- member Parliament that Turkey expects Albania to take immediate action against the FETÖ structure in the country and not let bilateral relations be overshadowed for this reason.
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.
In a comment on the Balkans Erdoğan said
Turkey did its part for the peace and tranquility of the region and it is also one of the guarantor countries for the guarantee of peace and tranquility in the future.
Before the joint press conference, agreements were signed between the two countries in the presence of Erdoğan and Rama.
A total of seven agreements were signed in the fields of disaster and emergency management, media, state archives, culture and art, security, youth and sports.
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 ($48 million), were built for the northwestern town of Laç, which was struck by a quake in November 2019, Erdoğan added.
In the meantime Erdoğan declared in his adresss in Parliament that Turkey will make available the Turcovax vaccines for Albania.
“I hope that our help will somewhat heal the wounds of Albanians,” said Turkish President. / Argumentum.al
