By “Albanian Free Press” English Edition
Individuals with numerous assests, who also lead several organizations, are having an impact in a number of world countries, especially in the Balkans, funding different projects and expanding their influence in a number of activities.
George Soros is known in Albania as the founder and funder of the “Open Society Foundation” for Albania, while Fetullah Gulen is known as the founder of several colleges, universities and other investments in the country. Both of them are known for their important influence in different fields in other Balkan countries too, including those where Albanians live, such as Kosovo and Macedonia, but also in other countries of the world.
Both of these characters have recently been at the focus of the media. Many comments have been made and continue to be made in relation to their activity and factual influence. There are also many reactions and comments by the main exponents of politics in Albania and other countries.
Some say that by having wide spheres of influence in theBalkans, “The Soros Foundation Movement” as well as “The Gülen Movement”, by means of using various instruments, are trying to get involved by way of penetrating into the politics of the countries, where they are active and to manipulate the above mentioned impact area. They are finally planning to weaken the national will of the country in which they are active. Both movements have been able to develop a broad environment among politically exposed people owing to their similar operation methods. Furthermore, by using this influence when necessary, they have succeeded in protecting their operations and working areas from possible external interventions. Both movements, by means of bringing concepts such as “Open Society”, “Freedom of Speech and Expression”, “Peaceful Islam” and “Education Services” to the forefront, have been able to determine the gaps stemming from the dynamics of the countries where they are active. Additionally, they managed to fill these gaps and put them to use. Thus, these two movements have had no problem at all in finding support. These two movements have started to get a lot of press lately and have been brought up for discussion. They pose a threat to the countries where they are active in terms of weakening the national security and the national will of these countries.
Analyst Kreshnik Osmani, leader of the “Atdheu” Albanian Party, sees Soros and Gulen as two threats for the President Donald Trump’s administration.
He says that immediately after Trump’s arrival in the White House, there’s been a lot of talk in Albania about what is considered to be as Soros threat.
“Like the new American administration, some Albanian political circles (supporting the opposition) have started to articulate in the past three months the idea of Soros’s threat, as one of the biggest threats for Albania’s national security”, Mr. Osmani says.
“Through a wide network of investments and infiltrations in the Albanian politics and civil society organizations, he controls most of the Albanian political decisions in Albania”, the analyst says.
For Mr. Osmani, “Soros’ threat” is combined with another threat: “That is the Gullenist threat for which nobody is talking. Not even those who discuss this issue in secrecy in Istanbul’s coffee shops”.
Osmani believes that “this is another dangerous signal that shows a lot” and he continues his analysis: “George Soros is one of the people with the biggest impact in America and other countries. However, he remains a taboo. Although he has started his activity in Albania earlier than Gulen, today he is targeted and attacked by many politicians in Albania, who have wanted to embark Donald Trump’s boat, but this is not the case with Gullen’s “Peace Missionary”. Nobody dares to mention him and his network in Albania has operated with its entire arsenal by ignoring everyone who has tried to write and speak of this issue or preparing the army if counter propaganda, considering the concerns that exist as conspiracy theories. The network enjoys an almost consensual support, sometimes declared and sometimes not, of the most important part of political and media circles in Albania”. A question naturally arises here, Mr. Osmani continues: “Where does this power and political immunity come from, making those officials ‘untouchable’?! We are not dealing with parallel structures, but with a complicated web of structures which are mysteriously connected with each other”.
Osmani says that Gullen’s Movement started to consider Albania as its heaven, immediately after the 11 September terrorist attacks in New York and adds that Gullen forged ties with the Albanian Muslim Community (KMSH). He also opened colleges where they “aimed at recruiting society’s elite, they aimed at seducing the children of the rich, people with power, business people, MPs and ministers”, Osmani says, by stressing that “up to a certain extent, they attained this goal”.
According to him, “they had money and lucrative businesses. This was a way to be close to Albania’s elite and the children of those who would act as their advocates in difficult days once the scheme was discovered.”
Osmani goes even further when suggesting that Gullen’s structures started to penetrate in each large Albanian political party. According to the analyst, attempts were made to expand their influence within police forces, secret services, banks and other institutions.
The leader of “Atdheu” Albanian Party says that “in these difficult days that the region is going through, along with Europe and Eurasia, Albanians must be careful in order not to allow any sort of negative interference in their home and protect them of any suspicious agenda which may aim at shocking the axis of orientation of Albanian strategic interests in the region and beyond”
For Osmani, “it is a strategic obligation of the Turkish state in compliance with its decisive role for the protection of the regional stability to stop with all the means and methods available against any player who threatens national security of its neighbors as a prerequisite for regional destabilization”.
“Feto organization is a player that has found a save heaven in Albania”, publicist Kreshnik Osmani concludes his analysis.
