Erdogan and his “Trojan Cali” in Macedonia

Most Albanians in Macedonia are first identified as Muslims and later by Albanian identity. Compared to other Balkan states where Albanians live who do not view religion as a dominant factor in their lives, Albanians in Macedonia are the most staunch supporters of Erdogan and his Islamic agenda.

Turkish President Erdogan does not keep his ambition to spread his neo-Kosovo wings throughout the Balkans secret. He sees Macedonia as another Turkish satellite in achieving this plan, which the Macedonian government has unfortunately embraced for its interests without carefully weighing the long-term harmful consequences.

There are few Albanian voices in Macedonia that have the courage to publicly criticise Erdogan, fearing they could become the target of threats and insults from a large propaganda machine run by many Erdogan allies in Macedonia. He has been extremely successful in influencing most Albanians in the country, many of whom consider him their only and trusted leader.

For more than a decade, Erdogan has invested in spreading his influence among Albanians; through construction of Turkish mosques and schools, media financing, religious institutions, and, recently, political parties, which are directly controlled by his close associates and have dramatically increased influence over the Albanian community.

Anyone who dares to criticize Erdogan or discuss his personal ambitions in Macedonia is publicly attacked by” Internet brigade”; as an Islamist or a traitor.

“I personally was the target of these attacks twice,” says Jhelal Neziri, a journalist with research experience from Macedonia. “They can't stop me from telling the truth, but it's a fact that many of my colleagues don't want to talk about this subject because of the threats and lynching they get.”, Neziri adds.

Most Albanians in Macedonia are first identified as Muslims and later by Albanian identity. There are voices within these religious fanatic groups that say Albanians should not recognise Mother Teresa as a saint, even though she was Albanian from Macedonia, because according to them she has done nothing for particularly Muslim Albanians.

The number of those who believe other Albanian heroes like Gjergj Kastriot “Skenderbeu”, who led the rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in the 1400s, should not be recognised as a hero because they are Christians, the day is increasing among the Albanians of Macedonia.

Compared to other Balkan states where Albanians live who do not view religion as a dominant factor in their lives, Albanians in Macedonia are the most staunch supporters of Erdogan and his Islamic agenda. Erdogan's strategy for restoring Turkey's influence in the Balkans, similar to what the Ottoman Empire once had, had early success with the Albanians of Macedonia.

Nearly two-thirds of the population in Macedonia are ethnically Orthodox Christian, and a third of the population are Albanians of Islamic faith. In 2001, tensions between the two groups escalated into an armed conflict between government security forces and the National Liberation Army (UÇK).

The conflict was short-lived and ended with the Ohrid Agreement, a peace treaty they saw KLA commanders reappointed as legitimate politicians, promising enhanced social and political rights to Macedonian Albanian citizens. Although armed hostilities ended about 17 years ago, relations between Macedonians and Albanians are still not good.

Albanians are deprived of many basic rights, neglected by the state, and continue to suffer from inequality. Macedonia denies their fundamental rights. The Albanian language was not recognised until March 2018, when Macedonia's parliament passed the law formally recognised Albanian, while massive structures were held by right-wing Macedonians opposing such a decision.

Slavs and Albanians in Macedonia still live apart and do not enjoy equal rights. Erdogan has used ethnic and political problems between Macedonians and Albanians as a <x0th) gold opportunity” to portray himself as the largest defender of Albanians. Meanwhile, all economic investments and trade agreements in Turkey are focused on parts where Macedonians live.

According to World Bank data, Turkey's exports to Macedonia amounted to $3378m in 2016, and imports reached $82.6m. The Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜİK) reports that around 100 Turkish businessmen currently have investments worth 1.2 billion euros ($.47 billion) in Macedonia. These investments are focused on parts where Macedonians live, while on the Albanian side Erdogan has invested in religious institutions, primarily building mosques to promote his Islamic agenda.

Erdogan has used Albanians as a charter, claiming to ensure stability for the Macedonian state with the conversion of Albanian nationalism (which Macedonians do not endure) in a strong Islamic identity.

While in public speeches, Erdogan has repeatedly flirted with corrupt Macedonian government officials. He has declared that Turkey and Macedonia share a brotherhood bond and that “Turkey will always be on Macedonia's side”.

For us, Ankara and Skopje have no difference and we will never leave our brothers, we will always be with them, and we will always help and stand behind them”; Erdogan said in February 2018.

In a conversation with Artan Grubi, deputy in Macedonia's Parliament, who represents the largest Albanian political party (Democratic Union for Integration, DUI), said the “Turkish government's influence on the political environment in Macedonia is undoubtedly serious and present”.

Erdogan does this “financially helping the government, cultural exchange, and serving as an example [to inspire] political parties and politicians like the newly formed “movement The EUSA”, Grubi said, adding that the party he represents will not allow the marginal effects of removing Albanians from the road designed towards NATO and EU integration.”

The EUSA movement is a political party in the Republic of Macedonia founded in November 2014 by Bilall Kasami and Zeqiri Ibrahimi, former editor-in-chief of the magazine “Sign”, which is one of the most pro-Erdoganist media in Macedonia.

The leaders of this party deny direct connection with Turkey, but they openly follow Erdogan's line. They compete in the election for three years and won five seats in Parliament. We have sent questions to the EUSA leaders, but they have not responded.

Professor Ymer Ismaili, one of the most active critics in Macedonia, publicly declared during the recent elections in 2016 that the EUSA “Movement is a religious sect with an open mission for the distribution of Erdogan's Islamic agenda among Albanians in Macedonia”

In a conversation with us, Ismaili said Albanians in the Balkans (particularly those in Macedonia) are “target” of Erdogan's favourites due to poor education, poverty and illiteracy. “Erdoganism wants the Balkan neo-invasion,” not by military means, but by financial and religious means to undermine Christian “”! In this “travel” in certain situations, his political-geostrategic ally is Putin's Russia. Both have joined their joint mission: Both are “dictator” and anti-Western “, Ismaili said

Many Albanian immigrants, after World War II and the establishment of the communist regime, fled to Western European or US countries to find work or seek political asylum. “Nearly every Albanian family has a member in the West and can clearly distinguish between what the West has to offer, cultural, political and human rights- and what Erdogan can offer”, Neziri said. However, they continue to be manipulated by Erdogan.

The Turkish Agency for Co-operation and Co-ordination (TİKA), the Turkish government agency, holds an office in Skopje with the country's co-ordinators, which completed almost 600 projects in Macedonia by the end of 2017.

“Yunus Emre”, the Turkish government's cultural promotion agency, is also active in Macedonia. According to the Turkish newspaper “Minut”, “it is clear that Erdogan is pushing all government agencies to focus on [Macedonia] with all sorts of schemes, starting from building mosques to establishing religious schools, as part of a grand design to create a vasal state that will be loyal to his Islamic rule”.

The peaceful “ulm” Erdogan over Macedonia has only one goal: to dominate the country under the guise of a long history of “brotherly relations”. This is Erdogan's modern-time horse of Troy “, and Albanians in Macedonia must understand that they are falling into his trap. /Periscopi