President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan honored the opening of the Mosque at Preze Castle in Albania

With President of Albania Bujar Nishani, President Erdoğan attended the opening of Preze Castle Mosque renovated by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). 

Stating that it is the first visit in Albania as a President, Erdoğan expressed his happiness for great hospitality there.
Saying “We, as Turkey, have seen Albania and Albanian people having strong bonds for centuries as a part of our heart. We still accept all brothers in Albania and the whole Balkans as our inseparable part”, President Erdoğan told that he brought greeting from 81 cities of Turkey, from dervish convent of Khoja Ahmet Yasawi in Kazakhstan, from association of Haji Bektash Veli.
Emphasizing that it will not be allowed that adhan voice will be silent in this solid, said:

“I will express it with the words of Mehmet Akif Ersoy who was an Albanian composer of our Independence Anthem; “These adhans and their shahadahs are foundations of the religion /And may their noble sound prevail thunderously across my eternal homeland. As you see, we are brothers sharing a common history as branches of the same root and belief. We have bunched up each other by “all believers are brothers” order of our God. Is it possible to tell a difference between Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish, Albanian, Laz, Georgian, Roman?  We loved the created for the Creator’s sake. We are members of a religion which orders smiling each other is a religious service. We are a nation which refers borders of our heart as “from Adriatic to Chinese Wall”. With this belief, I embrace again all brothers in every corner of Albania located in right beside of Adriatic.”

Expressing that they laid a foundation of Namazgah Mosque in Tirana and he will attend the opening of it for Friday pray 24 months later, President Erdoğan said that the mosque, located in Sushitsa village of Kosovo where Mehmet Akif Ersoy’s father Tahir Effendi was born, was rebuilt and opened to worship. Erdoğan reminding it is written “The one who opens all the doors, open your doors of profit and mercy for us!” on the hierogram of the mosque and said: “We try to fulfill this order by being in harmony, cooperation and coalition with all brothers in Albania. It is good for us to meet in doors of mercy like today.”

“Our hearts should beat together”

Expressing his thanks to people who had been waiting for opening of the mosque from morning time, Erdoğan said: “I congratulate you; we should protect our unity, solidarity, belief, and commonality very well. Please do not allow any divisiveness, do not be a victim of any game played on Muslims, unite with Albanians, Bosnians, Turks, Roman and whomsoever. Protect your brotherhood.” 

Stating that the first condition of peace, tranquility and sustainability in Balkans is a strong unity on common history and common values, Erdoğan said:
“For this reason, hearts of Tirana, Skopje, Pristina, Sarajevo and other cities should beat with the same understanding. As Mehmet Akif said “No enemy can win unless there is any division in a nation. / No cannon can destroy if all hearts beat together”, our hearts should beat together, my fellow brothers. We all get a lesson from suffers which this geography witnessed in the past. You hear cases in Kumanova, don’t you? Therefore, we will stand for us, not against. We will move together. We will get the lesson from “Friendship and conversation boil in our cooker, Lion and gazelle are friends in our embrace”of the concise quote of Haji Bektash Veli. “The name of Mohammed comes from the term of conversation. How can be Mohammed thought without any conversation?”
Stating that they, as Turkey, will maintain this determination in Balkan geography in Albania, Erdoğan told that they carried out totally 248 projects in various fields such as protection the common heritage, education and health by means of TIKA. Stating that Namazgah Mosque laid its foundations in Tirana today will be the top of it in the country, Erdoğan said: “Today we with President Bujan Nishani have laid the foundations of a work starting to be done with Prime Minister Edi Rama during my Prime Ministry.” And now we are opening Preze Castle Mosque, we hope it will be in favor of all Muslims.”

After his speech, President Erdoğan cut the ribbon and opened Preze Castle Mosque with entourages. President Erdoğan was presented a painting of Preze Castle Mosque by Mufti Ülli Gurra of Tirana.  
During poems and hymns from students of Aziz Mahmut Foundation Imam-Hatip High School in Shkoder; President Erdoğan, First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Minister of Family and Social Policies Ayşenur İslam got emotional.  
In the ceremony, Albanians unfurled banners written “Brave Man, Shkoder is proud of you”, “Pride of Shkoder: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan” and “New Turkey gives hope and encourages to Balkans.” 

SOURCE: AA ANADOLU AGENCY