It doesn’t take a pub quiz master to know that Vatican City, the Roman Catholic Church headquarters right in the heart of the Italian capital, is currently the smallest country in the world. However, that could be about to change.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced at the UN on September 22 that there are plans to create a brand-new state within the country’s capital, Tirana, and it’ll be known as the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order.
Founded back in the thirteenth-century Ottoman Empire, the Bektashi Order is a subdivision of Sufism, which is a brand of Islam centred around spirituality. It’s been headquartered in Albania since the 1930s, and of the Muslims in the country (who make up around 50 percent of the population), around 10 percent are Bektashi, according to a 2023 census.
But why is this state being formed now? Rama said the aim is to create a ‘new centre of moderation, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.’ It will only be around a quarter of the size of the Vatican (roughly 10 hectares) and will have clearly defined borders, passports and an autonomous administration.
Like the Vatican, the state will be ruled theoretically, with the leader of Bektashi, Baba Mondi, being in charge of the state and government. Citizenship of the state will be limited to members of the clergy and administration. The Bektashi Order is considered tolerant, and the microstate will permit alcohol and be relaxed about how people dress.
‘For our followers, this isn’t about political power or land acquisition; it’s about solidifying the Bektashi Order’s mission of spiritual moderation and protecting our religious practices,’ said Baba Mondi, according to Metro. ‘For our community worldwide, it is a moment of pride and renewal, strengthening our identity and presence on the global stage.’
Albania is known to be a tolerant and harmonious country when it comes to religion, with mosques and churches in close proximity to each other and interfaith marriages common. In fact, according to DW, the Bektashi community is seen as a bridge between Christian and Muslim communities in Albania. However, the proposed state has its critics.
‘Arguing that this assumed Bektashi state will impact positively a climate of tolerance in the region, is unfounded,’ said Besnik Sinani, a research fellow at the Centre for Muslim Theology at Tübingen University, to DW. ‘If realised, it will likely disrupt the historical arrangements of the relationship between religion and state in Albania, which has been established upon the vision of the founding fathers of Albanian statehood, many of whom were Bektashis.’
There’s currently a team of international lawyers and legal experts drafting legislation, but for the proposal to go ahead, it needs to be endorsed by Albania’s parliament. The change would mean amending the country’s constitution, and for that to happen there must be a majority of 94 votes in favour – that’s two-thirds of all lawmakers.
We don’t yet know when this vote will take place, so stay tuned for more updates. In the meantime, here’s a guide to our favourite places to visit in Albania.
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