Albanian parliament speaker visits Turkish school after Erdoğan calls for its closure

Albanian Speaker of Parliament Ilir Meta (2nd L) watching a show performed by students of Turgut Özal College in Tiran with the show's director, Hüseyin Yavuz (L), on Friday. (Photo: Cihan)
Albanian Speaker of Parliament Ilir Meta (2nd L) watching a show performed by students of Turgut Özal College in Tiran with the show's director, Hüseyin Yavuz (L), on Friday. (Photo: Cihan)


Date posted: May 18, 2015

Albania’s Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta visited a Turkish school in the capital tirana on Friday to send a message to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who called for the closure of Turkish schools in Albania during his visit last week, stirring debate among Albanian politicians and journalists, an Albanian daily wrote on Sunday.

According to a story in the Dita daily, which has the second-highest circulation in Albania, Meta’s visit to Turgut Özal College in Tirana, where his daughter is studying, is a clear show of support to these schools following Erdoğan’s remarks. Meta, along with his wife, Monika Kryemadhi, attended a show at the school where he sat together with the school’s director, Hüseyin Yavuz.

Though Erdoğan once strongly promoted Turkish schools abroad — some of which he personally inaugurated, including in Albania — Erdoğan has now targeted these schools as they are established by NGOs and volunteers from Turkey who are inspired by the faith-based Gülen movement, popularly known as the Hizmet movement. It was then-Prime Minister Erdoğan who inaugurated Turgut Özal College’s elementary school on Feb. 17, 2005 during an official trip.

Erdoğan accuses sympathizers of the Gülen movement — inspired by the views of prominent Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen — especially those in the state bureaucracy, of being behind a major corruption investigation that went public in 2013, implicating members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and Erdoğan’s inner circles.

Erdoğan’s current efforts to declare such schools as having been formed by a terrorist organization — a reference to the Gülen movement, which has hundreds of schools around the world to promote education with the aim of facilitating inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue — created unease and stirred a backlash from Albanian politicians.

Speaking in a parliamentary session on Thursday, Ben Blushi, a deputy from the ruling Socialist Party of Albania (PS), which came to power in 2013, called on the government to reject Erdoğan’s request and said Albania is not a colony of Turkey. Stressing that internationally recognized terrorist organizations are only determined by UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, Blushi said, “No country’s president can ask for such a thing [labeling a civil society movement a terrorist organization] while on his visit to another country.” Blushi also argued that so far no one has seen, anywhere in the world, a terrorist organization that has not killed anyone, adding, “The schools that Erdoğan seeks to close down have contributed to the education of thousands of people in Albania.”

According to Blushi, Erdoğan asked Albanian authorities for a gift, the closure of the schools, in return for the construction of the Namazgja Mosque in Tirana. Former Albanian Economy Minister Arben Malaj called on the Albanian president for clarification about Erdoğan’s request. The Turkish economic presence in Albania may have value, but in terms of democracy, Turkey cannot be a model for Albanians, Malaj argued.

Ilir Kulla, who acted as an adviser to the Albanian president from 2007 to 2010, noted that the Turkish schools have been operating in Albania for 25 years and have proven their value during that time. “These institutions pay their taxes to the state and provide education in line with the laws. We respect Turkey and Erdoğan, but we have no reason to close these schools,” Kulla summarized.

Adela Salla, an Albanian graduate from Mehmet Akif Turkish College in Albania, also reacted to Erdoğan’s comments via her social media account. Salla said Erdoğan has redefined the meaning of “terrorism” and dares to ask an independent country to shut down schools as a condition for the continuation of Turkish investments in the country. “Don’t know how this man got another mandate but I feel sorry for Turkey!” she wrote.

Source: Today's Zaman , May 17, 2015


Related News

Gülen becomes litmus test for American media

The International Herald Tribune and the New York Times published a story on Fethulah Gulen and the civic society movement he has inpsired, the Hizmet movement. It was the same story with different headlines. It was full of mistakes if not defamation. Below is a detailed analysis of the the news.

Malaysia also to blame for Turk’s torture, say rights groups

Human rights NGOs have called on Malaysian authorities to accept responsibility for the alleged torture of a Turkish teacher in his native country after he was deported from Malaysia.

Türksat removes Zaman, 3 others from ad list

Türksat withdrew its ads from three other dailies as well: Bugün, Taraf and Radikal, all of which have published articles that criticized the government’s efforts to cover up an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption claims.

Erdoğan draws ire from all segments of society over bid to close Turkish schools

Members of opposition parties, prominent businessmen and figures in the education world have severely criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for campaigning for the closure of Turkish schools in African countries that are affiliated with the Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement, inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who is a former ally of the president.

Preparations for Turkish Olympiads begin in Morocco

Preparations for the 12 th International Turkish Olympiads have started in Morocco with rehearsals at a Turkish school established by the members of the Hizmet Movement, inspired by the Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

What we learned from the operation

While the government works to finish off the Hizmet movement, it may even call for the expulsion of the US ambassador from the country. The real duty of Halkbank is to act as Iran’s opening door to the world, and the US blockade has been violated for years. We learned that the pro-government media is allergic to shoe boxes [money used in alleged bribery was found in shoe boxes in one of the suspects’ homes].

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Turkish authorities deny release to critically ill cancer patient arrested on Gülen links

Journalists and Writers Foundation in Rwanda for Global Peacemakers Conference

Afghans laud honorable Fethullah Gulen

Istanbul court re-arrests former Zaman reporter minutes before leaving prison

Ayse Bohurler says International Herald Tribune misquoted remarks on Gülen movement

Turkey torture claims in wake of failed coup

A Turkish family has disappeared in Pakistan, and suspicion turns to intelligence agencies

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News