Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Tirana, Albania, today to inaugurate the Namazgah Mosque, the largest in the Balkans. Built in Ottoman style with four 35-metre minarets, construction of the mosque began in 2015. The complex includes a cultural centre, library, exhibition hall, conference room, “museum of coexistence” and a Qur’an school. Erdogan’s visit comes amid reports of controversy over Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s plan to establish a sovereign Bektashi state, which has faced criticism from Turkish Bektashi leaders. During his stay, Erdogan is expected to meet his Albanian counterpart Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Rama. He will also meet Edmond Brahimaj, known as Baba Mondi, the global leader of the Bektashi sect, a prominent Sufi order known […]
