German newspaper writes about Erdogan-Haradinaj clash

German newspaper Neue Nordäuser Zeitung says Kosovo is fighting against Turkish influence in Kosovo. Reporting on the latest case of the kidnapping and deportation of six jihadists, this newspaper cites threats Kosovo's prime minister received from the Turkish president.
Kosovars have provoked Erdogan's anger after criticising the kidnapping and expulsion of six jihadists to Turkey, writes NNZ.

This is after Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has fired Interior Minister and AKI chief after the arrest of six Turkish citizens.

Among those arrested are the principal and vice principal of the school Mehmet Akif and four other teachers.

This school is part of the Gylen movement, which reportedly orchestrated Turkey's summer state in 2016.

Ankara has been putting pressure on Balkan countries since then to close down all organisations, companies and schools related to Gylen.

In Kosovo society, much action has been criticised that took place in co-operation with the Turkish Intelligence Agency.

Six men were kidnapped and immediately arrested on Thursday by private jet in Turkey.

In this case, no constitution and legal procedures were respected. Since then, the Kosovo government has been stressing that it knew nothing about the case. Meanwhile, President Hashim Thaci, who holds good reports with Erdogan, said the case will be investigated.

NNZ quoted Deputy Prime Minister Limaj as trying to calm the concerned move for the growing Turkish influence.

“Kosovo is not a vazal” state, he said.

Turkey is the second state, after the US, to have recognised Kosovo's independence from Serbia, 10 years ago, writes Andreas Ernst.

Since then, Erdogan has visited Kosovo several times, saying in Prizren that Turkey is Kosovo and vice versa.

Turkish economic, religious and cultural influence in Kosovo is important, the paper emphasises. A large part of Albanians from Kosovo live in Turkey and act as bridge between the two countries.

Erdogan sees the Balkans as neo-Ottoman and Muslims there as his neighbourhoods, but only a small part agree.

Those who like Erdogan have good business relations with Turkey and see politics and religion within political Islam.

In Albanian culture, many have great admiration for Erdogan and are equally critical of him.

They fear political Islam, as a more majority Muslim country, but also have the Catholic and Orthodox religion, writes Nnz.