Albanian Prime Minister Proposes Bektashi Microstate

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced plans to establish a 'Bektashi Sovereign State' in Tirana, aimed at promoting a tolerant version of Islam. This new microstate, modeled after Vatican City, will be a 10-hectare enclave for the Bektashi community, a Shiite Sufi order, and will not have traditional state apparatus such as an army or court system. The state will allow alcohol consumption and will not impose lifestyle restrictions, reflecting the Bektashi Order's principles of tolerance. Rama emphasized that the initiative seeks to protect Albania's heritage of religious tolerance. Legal experts are currently drafting legislation to define the new state's status, though recognition from other countries remains uncertain. The plan has raised questions about its implications for Albania's international relations and the significance of a Muslim enclave in Europe.