By: Peter Marko Tase
On July 23rd, 2025, the Albanian Government signed an amendment to the “Financial
Assistance Protocol,” with the Ministry of Defense of Türkiye. The minister of Defense
of Albania Mr. Pirro Vengu, and Turkey’s Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, held a meeting
on the sidelines of the International Defense Industry Fair in Istanbul 2025.
This bilateral agreement will provide the Albanian Armed Forces with 105 mm artillery
systems and broaden the scope of cooperation between the two countries. Moreover, it
includes academic training, seminars, logistical aid, transportation, and institutional
support, to further embolden the strategic cooperation and resilience of the Albanian
Defense Forces. Albanian coastline, with over 480 km of maritime access along the
Adriatic and Ionian Seas, has an obsolete Navy Force Technology and equipment.
Moreover, Albania, as a full-fledged member of NATO, does not have a well-structured
NAVAL Base on its Coastline, Tirana’s cash-strapped government does not even have
resources to clean up the renowned Submarine Tunnels of Porto Palermo, and Pasha
Liman Base (that are completely abandoned by the current Albanian Government) built
by the Socialist People’s Republic of Albania (1950 – 1974) during the peak of the Cold
War tensions and provocations between the Warsaw Pact and NATO Alliance.
During the Socialist Government, under the leadership of Enver Hoxha, Albania had a
well-equipped coastal defense force with four Whiskey-class Submarines: three T43
open-ocean minesweepers (built by the Soviet Navy from 1948 to 1957). In 1956-1961
the Albanian Navy was gradually established and consolidated as a separate force; it
was imperviously separated from the Army and become a fully independent branch of
service; the same path was pursued by the Albanian Air Force.
Furthermore, Albanian Navy was equipped with six P 4- class Soviet made torpedo
boats, commonly known as the Komsomolets class: six inshore minesweepers of the T
301 type, four Kronshtadt cruiser patrol and submarine chasers, eleven minesweeping
boats of other sorts and two dozen of auxiliary navy vessels. In 1991, the end of the
Cold War was marked by the fall of the Berlin War and by a complete dismemberment
and total obliteration of all Albanian Navy Assets, orchestrated by Tirana’s newly
established post – communist political elite.
Today, Tirana’s defense partnership with Ankara, is geopolitically crucial and portends to
defend Europe’s Southern Shores and ensure Albania’s maritime and commercial
interests in the region.
As history records contemporary leaders for posterity, tragically, many are
misunderstood and thus recorded with a lack of accuracy, comprehension and candor.
One of the most eminently relevant yet misconstrued leaders of the Western world is
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Despite the frequently inaccurate and
seemingly prejudicial rhetoric associated with him, he is, in reality, a reformer and has
persistently sought to enshrine democratic and humanitarian values.
Throughout his rather pragmatic over-twenty-two years-tenure, Ankara has become a
key player in promoting governance reforms in international organizations, grown into a
large donor of international aid, heavily contributed financial resources toward global
infrastructure and invested in programs destined to strengthen output growth and
agricultural productivity.
Regardless of North America’s mainstream media’s reporting, international audiences
are well aware of Türkiye’s enormous leap forward in its geopolitical role and admirable
economic growth, the waves of which are felt from Central Asia to Vietnam to Ecuador.
Mr. Erdoğan’s robust and collaborative foreign policy even beyond the realm of Europe
and the Middle East paved the way for Turkey to secure two bilateral agreements with
Vietnam (Prevention of Double Taxation; Civil Aviation and Maritime Cooperation) in
2014-2015.
On April 18-19, 2014, Mr. Ditmir Bushati, Albanian Foreign Minister, conducted his first
official visit to the Republic of Turkey. Mr. Bushati’s arrival to Ankara is the continuation
of an extensive dialogue and bilateral cooperation between both nations which has
gained a new momentum with the official visit to Albania by Turkish Foreign Minister,
Prof. Ahmet Davutoğlu, on October 4-5, 2013, as well as the first official visit to Ankara
of the Hon. Mimi Kodheli, Albanian Defense Minister, on April 18th, 2014. Immediately
after the leader of Albanian Socialist Party, Edi Rama became a Prime Minister, in
September 2013, after the general elections of June 23rd, 2013; Albania’s strategic
relations with Türkiye were given a special priority and became economically important
for Tirana.
According to Prime Minister Rama, Turkey is considered a strategic partner in Albania’s
Foreign Policy Strategy, and his government aims to further strengthen the bilateral
cooperation with Ankara, especially in the economic, defense and commercial
partnership. Under this framework, in February 2014, was held in Tirana the Albania-
Turkey Economic and Trade Forum. In his statement Prime Minister Rama emphasized
that Turkish investors will very soon experience a tremendous reduction of bureaucracy
and amiable policies towards the opening of their businesses in Albania. He added: “We
consider you as ambassadors and promoters of our country in the world.” [1] Türkiye is
the second largest trading partner of Albania and its daily consumption products;
merchandises and commodities are always present in Albania’s markers. Some of the
largest Turkish companies, with a focus in areas such as construction,
telecommunications, transportation and education are ENKA, Gintaş, Armada, Metal
Yapı, Aldemir, Servomatik, Çalık Holding/Türk Telekom, Makro-Tel/Hes Kablo, Albanian
Airlines (Evsen Group), Gülistan Foundation, Istanbul Foundation.
In his visit to Ankara, Minister Bushati had a lengthy conversation with his counterpart,
Prof. Dr. Davutoğlu, and particularly addressed the strong bilateral economic relations,
international and regional security issues, and most importantly, Tirana’s aspirations to
establish a bilateral “High Level Partnership and Cooperation Council” between Tirana
and Ankara.
In their joint press conference, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that the two countries
have agreed to establish the “High Level Partnership and Cooperation Council” and this
bilateral body will be meeting in the weeks ahead, to discuss pending items of the
mutually beneficial agenda. Turkish investments in Albania have increased by US$ 2
billion and the bilateral trade volume has reached more than US$1 billion, from US$400
million, only five years ago.
Another item in the discussions were the potential venues of strengthening the
cooperation between the two ministries, while placing a special importance to Albania’s
EU integration and membership status.
According to Minister Davutoğlu, the Turkish Diplomatic Chief: “We together endeavor
for our common goals, will continue to work together at the highest level in international
organizations as well. We agreed to establish the Turkey-Albania High Level
Cooperation Council” [2]
In this occasion, the two counterparts signed an agreement and Memorandum of
Understanding focused in the bilateral Cooperation of Information Technologies.
Foreign Minister Davutoğlu visited Albania on October 2013; he met with Prime Minister
Edi Rama, and Foreign Minister Bushati. During his visit, Turkish Foreign Minister
initiated the dialogue to establish the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Mechanisms,
that would be highly beneficial to both countries’ economies, trade and bilateral political
dialogue.
Albania and Turkey have maintained a close partnership within the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) as well as have
been working closely in Peace Keeping operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia Hercegovina
and other hot spots in the world. This year, Tirana will assume the chairmanship of
SEECP and under its leadership the strategic role of Turkey and its contributions will
further be solidified in the Balkans.
In Tirana, Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoğlu met with President of Albania, Mr. Bujar
Nishani, P M Edi Rama, and Mr. Ilir Meta, the Speaker of Albanian Parliament.
Bilateral relations between Albania and Turkey, are characterized by a strong sense of
cooperation, friendship, mutually beneficial regional stability and stronger commercial
and economic ties.
On October 2024, the bilateral defense alliance of Türkiye with Albania reached new
heights of success, when President Erdoğan stated: “We will also provide the necessary
support to meet the needs of our strategic partner and NATO ally Albania’s armed
forces in terms of military equipment and training. My dear friend, Prime Minister Rama
and I also discussed the joint fight against terrorist organizations, especially FETÖ.
Inshallah, we will continue our fight against terrorist organizations effectively with the
decisions we have taken today. We also exchanged views on global and regional issues
with the Prime Minister. We follow with appreciation Albania’s efforts to establish peace
and stability both in our region and in the international arena. The Israeli atrocities in the
occupied Palestinian territories, especially in Gaza, and in Lebanon were among the top
agenda items of our talks.”
Over the last fifteen years there have been multiple official visits undertaken by top
Albanian government officials to Ankara as well as the government of Prime Minister
Erdogan has kept a keen interest towards Albania. In October 2011, Mr. Bamir Topi,
Albania’s president, led an official visit to Ankara, which was a very productive and set
the tone for a closer cooperation between both countries.
Mr. Topi’s visit was followed by Sali Berisha, Albanian Prime Minister’s visit to Turkey in
April 2012 and Mr. Cemil Çiçek, Turkish Assembly Speaker to Tirana in June 2012.
Additionally, in October 2012, Albanian Foreign Minister, H.E. Edmond Panariti visited
Ankara, and gave a keynote address in the International Conference entitled “From
Balkan Wars to Balkan Peace” co-organized by the Center for Strategic Research of
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister Panariti held fruitful talks with Foreign Affairs
Minister Davutoğlu and other high-level officials of the Turkish government.
Another important variable in Albania-Turkey strong bilateral cooperation is the high
number of Turkish citizens of Albanian origin living in Turkey and the attendance of
Albanian students and professionals who have decided to reside and work in Turkey.
There has historically been a significant bondage between Albania and Turkey, even the
Albanian language has been influenced over many centuries by the Turkish language.
Currently, there are more than three thousand common words in Albanian and Turkish
languages, that are used daily in both nations. [3]
Another important aspect is the cooperation in the areas of national defense training,
and technological equipment. Albania depends heavily on Turkish forces’ assistance in
training and supply of cutting-edge defense technology as well as the reconstruction of
Albania’s military bases and their maintenance.
Over the last twenty years, Turkish military personnel, from various branches: infantry,
land, naval and Air Force bases have trained Albanian Armed Forces, provided
technological equipment and helped rebuild its military infrastructure. Albanian soldiers
assigned to Afghanistan under the NATO mandate, are serving within the Turkish
command deployed in Kabul.
Endnotes and References:
[1] http://gazeta-shqip.com/lajme/2014/02/27/rama-ne-forumin-ekonomik-cdo-detyrim-
per-biznesin-ne-60-dite/
[2] http://www.mfa.gov.tr/foreign-minister-davutoglu-_we-agreed-to-establish-the-
turkey_albania-high-level-cooperation-council.en.mfa
https://dailycaller.com/2018/06/22/time-to-cut-erdogan-and-turkey-some-slack/
https://www.tccb.tr/en/news/542/153935/-we-will-increase-our-trade-volume-with-
albania-to-2-billion-
[3] http://www.mfa.gov.tr/relations-between-turkey-and-albania.en.mfa
