April 21, 2025 9:01 am
Full News

Albania to Establish Vatican-Style Sovereign State for Bektashi Order in Tirana

TIRANA, Jan 25, 2025 – Albania will create a sovereign Muslim state in Tirana for the Bektashi religious order, similar to the Vatican in Rome, to preserve and promote religious tolerance, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Saturday.

If established, the enclave for the Islamic Sufi order would be one of the world’s smallest states, with its own administration but no taxation or police, and would not challenge Albania’s sovereignty. “The history of the Bektashi is in itself an imposing call to give the holy seat of the Bektashi World Centre a status similar to that of the Vatican,” Rama said during a ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of the holy seat’s move to Albania from Turkey.

Rama described the symbolic state as “without walls, without police, without an army, without taxes or other attributes, but a headquarters, a spiritual state.” He did not provide details on the timing, and the Albanian parliament would need to endorse the plan.

Founded in the Ottoman Empire in the thirteenth century as an offshoot of Sufism, the Bektashi order has been headquartered in Albania since 1929 after the newly created Turkish Republic of Kemal Ataturk prevented it from practicing. Rama stated in 2024 that Albania planned to create a state in the eastern part of the capital as a spiritual center for the Bektashis, who are scattered across the region in Kosovo and North Macedonia as well as in Albania.

According to the last census, about 10 percent of Albania’s population is Bektashi.

Related News
Denmark Detains Chinese Ship Suspected of Damaging Underwater Communication Cables in the Baltic Sea
Trump Blames Saudi Arabia for Ukraine War, Demands Lower Oil Prices
Unveiling of Iran’s Laser-Guided Air Defense System
Impeached South Korean President Yoon arrested
US Ambassador to India Calls for Restoration of Democracy in Bangladesh
Film Industry Braces for Impact of a Second Trump Presidency
Related Posts
Trade Tensions Escalate Between India and Bangladesh Over Yarn Imports and Transshipment Facilities
Oldest Active American Astronaut Returns to Earth on His 70th Birthday
At Least 79 Soldiers Killed in al-Qaeda Affiliate Attack in Benin
India Criticizes Pakistan’s Misuse of OIC Platform Ahead of PM Modi’s Saudi Visit
Bangladesh Qualifies for ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 After Dramatic Finish
Bangladesh Qualifies for ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 After Dramatic Finish
More News

Bashar al-Assad Finds Asylum in Moscow as Damascus Falls to Rebels

Syria’s ousted leader, Bashar al-Assad, has fled to Moscow with his family, where the Kremlin has confirmed he will be granted asylum. This development has left the Middle East on edge as it witnesses a dramatic shift in power. On Sunday, Islamist rebels launched a swift offensive that culminated in the capture of Damascus, forcing […]

Trump Warns BRICS Nations Against Replacing U.S. Dollar, Threatens 100% Tariffs

WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to BRICS member countries, threatening 100% tariffs if they attempt to replace the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency. This warning, posted on Truth Social, echoes a similar statement he made shortly after winning the November presidential elections. “We are going to […]

Macron Calls for ‘Tough Measures’ to Force Russia into Ceasefire

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for “tough measures” to force Russia into a ceasefire. His call came after a devastating Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy. Macron emphasized increasing pressure on Russia to bring an end to the war. At least 34 people were killed in the Russian assault on the […]

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries in the World in 2025

April 20, 2025 – Global: Despite ongoing economic challenges, the world’s most influential nations continue to strengthen their dominance in trade, technology, military, diplomacy, and politics. According to a recent ranking by Indiatimes, the United States remains the most powerful country, followed closely by China and Russia.The Leading Global Powers Global Influence and Future TrendsThese […]

NATO Unlikely to Heed Trump’s Call for Massive Defense Spending Hike

NATO is unlikely to follow U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s proposal for a significant increase in defense spending but is expected to agree to go beyond its current target, according to officials and analysts. Trump declared on Tuesday that members of the military alliance should spend 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, a […]

China Praises Modi’s Remarks

A rare moment of mutual respect between long-time rivals India and China has come to light. This follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent “positive” remarks about India-China relations, which have been praised by China. Beijing stated that implementing the “Dragon-Elephant Dance” cooperation is the only correct choice for both nations. During a regular press […]

Freedom Fighter Beaten and Assaulted in Kushtia,Bangladesh

A freedom fighter was allegedly beaten and humiliated in Kumarkhali, Kushtia. The incident took place at Nowsher intersection of Panti Bazar in Panti union of the upazila around 10am on Saturday. The name of the freedom fighter is Abdur Rahman (70). He is the son of late Afsar Uddin of Ramnagar area of the same […]

Cristiano Ronaldo Launches Film Studio, Teams Up With Top Director

Cristiano Ronaldo is stepping into Hollywood. The soccer legend has partnered with Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn to launch a new film studio called UR•MARV. The pair has already produced two action-packed movies and is working on a third. Their goal is to mix sports, storytelling, and high-end technology to create global entertainment hits. “This is […]

Asia’s Surging LNG Prices Drive Up Household Power Bills

The global fluctuations in liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices are hitting Asian consumers hard, as costs have skyrocketed by over 300%. This surge has led to increased financial pressure on households, with energy bills soaring amid market instability.LNG, a key component in Asia’s energy mix, is deeply linked to global supply and demand dynamics. Price […]

Historical March 7th Speech: The Formation of Bangladesh

Engineer M. HossainFellow of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh On March 2, 1971, the flag of Bangladesh was raised by students at Dhaka University, a moment that echoed the courage and determination of the Bengali people in their demand for independence and their assertion of Bengali identity against an oppressive regime. Despite the imposition of […]