This seems pretty sus to me. Wikipedia has already created a page for the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order.
Albania Plans to Create a Muslim State in Tirana as Symbol of Tolerance
His hoped-for Muslim state in Tirana, Albania’s capital, will be a Vatican-style sovereign enclave controlling territory about the size of five New York City blocks, and it will allow alcohol, let women wear what they want and impose no lifestyle rules [haram].
“God does not forbid anything; that is why he gave us minds,” said the cleric, Edmond Brahimaj, known to followers as Baba Mondi, explaining how he intends to rule over a 27-acre patch of land that Albania wants to turn into a sovereign state with its own administration, passports and borders. The Albanian prime minister, Edi Rama, says he will announce plans for the entity, to be called the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order, in the near future.
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In an interview, Mr. Rama, the prime minister, said the aim of the new state was to promote a tolerant version of Islam [unless it’s MEK] on which Albania prides itself. “We should take care of this treasure, which is religious tolerance and which we should never take for granted,” he said.
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The territory of the proposed new Islamic state is a compound in a low-rent residential district of eastern Tirana [gentrification?]. It is just a quarter of the size of Vatican City, currently the world’s smallest country, governed by the pope, an absolute monarch.
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Though one of Europe’s poorest countries, Albania has a long history of helping people in need, sheltering Jews during World War II and Afghans fleeing the Taliban in 2021. Its international airport is named after Mother Teresa, the ethnic Albanian nun who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for her charity work in India.
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A team of legal experts, including international lawyers, is drafting legislation defining the new state’s sovereign status inside Albania. That will need to be endorsed by Parliament, controlled by Mr. Rama’s governing Socialist Party. It is unclear which, if any, countries will agree to recognize the Bektashis’ sovereignty.
So far, Mr. Rama, a nonpracticing Roman Catholic, said, only a few of his closest aides know about the plan and NATO allies like the United States have not been consulted.
One country that is highly unlikely to recognize it is Iran, which has many mostly underground followers of Sufi Islam, including some Bektashis, but views itself as the guardian of Shiite Islam against heterodox readings of the faith.
“The Iranians are frankly my last thought,” Mr. Rama said, noting that Albania broke off diplomatic relations with Iran in 2022 after linking it to a cyberattack on Albanian government and banking networks.
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The Tirana compound, which originally covered nearly 90 acres, has shrunk by two-thirds since Albania’s former communist dictator, Enver Hoxha, outlawed all religion in 1967 [based] and his government began building warehouses on Bektashi territory in the capital. After the collapse of communism in 1991 [helped along by the U.S. through the ‘Revolutions of 1989’, etc], the Bektashis lost yet more land when private developers built homes on the edge of the compound without permission.
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Baba Mondi, for his part, declared the statehood plan “a miracle” and expressed hope that the United States and other Western powers would recognize his state’s sovereignty if Parliament endorses the prime minister’s plan.
“We deserve a state,” he said, “We are the only ones in the world who tell the truth about Islam” and “don’t mix it up with politics.”
Baba Mondi said that around half the total population was Bektashi, the rest being Sunnis, Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and evangelical Christians. That is almost certainly an exaggeration, but it reflected a widespread view of the sect, even among some Christians, as Albania’s national religion.
Related:
For example, countries that hold leadership roles in the Islamic world, like Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar have an opportunity to reinforce their commitment to promoting moderate and peaceful interpretations of Islam by supporting our peaceful Sufi Shia tradition. Additionally, nations facing
internalreligious tensions or extremism, such as China, which is facing a rising militant Islamist threat in Xiangjiang [Xinjiang?] might see the value in aligning with the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order, as we offer a pathway to addressing these challenges without encouraging division or radicalization.We believe that over time, as these nations see the benefits of reinforcing moderate religious voices, they will lend their support. Our mission aligns with global efforts to foster tolerance and dialogue, and we are confident that the international community will recognize the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order as a force for good in the world.
Interesting comment:
Goni:
22/09/2024 07:08 The problem is how reliable this person is, I’m talking about Baba Mondi. Does the public know that this man is involved in many corrupt affairs and is currently on trial for unjust appropriation of land, especially in the South of the country? How is it possible for a religious man, who talks about God all day, to commit such acts?! How can this person lead a religious community and even worse, talk to us about love and kindness?!
The Bektashi make up 2.5% of the country’s population.
In Albania, the Bektashi Order has taken on a patriotic and nationalistic character, and it has played a major role in the Albanian National Awakening. Bektashi leaders have historically been prominent members in Albanian movements for self-determination and national autonomy, which has contributed to its popularity amongst the Albanians, and for most of Albania’s Bektashi community, their affiliation with the order is based on cultural heritage rather than actual religious belief.
Camp Ashraf 3, in Albania, is home to PMOI/MKO/MEK.
Michael Parenti on Mother Teresa, John Paul II, and the Fast-Track Saints
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 