Prime Minister Edi Rama said the ‘Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order’ would be established within the borders of the Albanian capital Tirana and would feature its own administration, passports, and borders, but won’t have an army, border guards, or courts.
He added that the Vatican-style microstate will send a clear message to the world: “Do not let the stigma of Muslims define who Muslims are.”
The tiny country will be home to the followers of Bektashi, a unique Islamic Sufi order that originated in Turkey’s Anatolia region.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sunday, Rama said: “Our inspiration is to support the transformation of the Bektashi World Centre in Tirana into a sovereign state, a new center of moderation, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.”
The new state will allow alcohol and will not impose lifestyle restrictions, reflecting the Bektashi Order’s liberal attitude.
Following the announcement, the Bektashi Order in Tirana praised the decision in a statement which read: “The sovereignty of the Bektashi Order is an important step in strengthening the values of inclusion, religious harmony and dialogue in an increasingly divided world.
“Such a historic step aims at recognizing the Bektashi Order as a sovereign, self-governing state, committed to supporting its century-old culture of moderation and spiritual involvement.”
Baba Mondi, the current spiritual leader of the order who is set to head the new state, said: “God does not forbid anything; that is why he gave us minds.
“All decisions will be made with love and kindness.
“We are the only ones in the world who tell the truth about Islam [and] don’t mix it up with politics.”
Who are the Bektashis?
Founded in the 13th century and deemed heretics by Islam’s conservative Shiites and Sunnis due to their liberal interpretation of faith, the Bektashis have endured centuries of persecution, leading to a decline in their numbers.
The order faced official bans twice—first in the 17th century by the Ottomans and then in 1925 when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founding father of the Turkish Republic, banned all branches of Islam not recognized by the Directorate of Religious Affairs in Turkey.
Following Atatürk’s ban, the Bektashis moved their headquarters from Turkey to Tirana.
Members of the sect played an instrumental role in Albania’s nationalist awakening against Turkish rule, advocating for a more relaxed interpretation of Islam that united the country’s significant Muslim and Christian communities in support of the secular independence movement.
In Albania, approximately 10 to 12% of the population identifies as Bektashi.
Worldwide, their numbers are estimated to range from 7 to 20 million, with about 12.5 million residing in Turkey.
