Kosovo–Turkey relations

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Kosovan–Turkish relations
Map indicating locations of Kosovo and Turkey

Kosovo
Turkey
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Kosovo, AnkaraEmbassy of Turkey, Pristina
Envoy
Ambassador Avni SpahiuAmbassador Sabri Tunç Angılı

Kosovo–Turkey relations are the historic and current

Muslim, have close cultural, historical, and military ties, and both have sought to join the European Union
.

Background

Relations between Albanians, the ethnic majority in Kosovo, and Turkey date back from the arrival of the

Değirmendere, Karamürsel, Kirmasti and Bursa.[5][3]

Before its independence, Kosovo was an Albanian-majority part of Yugoslavia, and later Serbia. From 1925 onward Yugoslavia sought an agreement with Turkey to allow for the migration of Muslims and Albania was concerned that it entailed the removal of Albanians from the Balkans to be resettled in depopulated parts of Turkey.

confiscations of land and redistribution to Serb colonists in Kosovo alongside the warfare between the armed Albanian Kaçak resistance movement active in Kosovo and north-western Macedonia with Yugoslav authorities.[10] Yugoslav authorities viewed Albanians as a hostile population and preferred to reduce their presence in Yugoslavia, while Turkey wanted to repopulate areas of Anatolia that had been emptied of its previous Orthodox Greek speaking and Turkish speaking Christians during the population exchange.[11]

In 1933, several visits by the Turkish foreign minister Tevfik Rüştü Aras to Belgrade in talks with the Yugoslav foreign ministry discussed the deportation of Muslims from the area of Yugoslavia that had been designated as South Serbia to Anatolia.[12] In 1938, Aras and his Yugoslav counterpart Milan Stojadinović after five years of negotiations signed a joint convention regarding the migration of Muslim Turks to Turkey.[12] The agreement referred to the proposed relocation of 40,000 families between 1939 and 1944 in accordance with regulations and requirements such as being fluent in Turkish, exclusion of Romani and targeting municipalities in Kosovo and western Macedonia for the migration process.[13] Rural communities were to be mainly targeted and properties of those people deported was to be liquidated in Yugoslavia, while the journey to Anatolia from the port of Thessaloniki would be funded by Turkey and monitored by a joint Turkish-Yugoslav commission.[14] Archival and printed literature from the period show the agreement to have been a misleading and deceptive document in its wording and intent as the outcome was for the removal of the Albanian population to Turkey.[14] During the negotiation of the bilateral convention Atatürk met with Yugoslav authorities and later submitted the agreement to the Turkish parliament for ratification.[14] In July 1938, some 5 months before the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Turkish parliament refused to ratify the agreement and with the onset of the Second World War, the measure was not reconsidered.[9][15] Of all those who settled in villages where Albanians became or are the only population, the language has been retained to various degrees, whereas in ethnically mixed areas language retention has been obsolete.[3]

In a post Second World War context, Albanian migrants originated from

Torbeš), Bosniaks and ethnic Turks, the majority of migrants were Albanians.[18] Many of these Albanians from Yugoslavia settled in urban centres such as İzmir, Gemlik and Aydın.[19] In 1999, some Albanians arrived to Turkey fleeing the conflict in Kosovo.[3][20] Albanians from this third group have mainly settled in large urban centres located in western areas of Turkey.[3] Turkey has an estimated 1.3 to 5 or 6 million citizens of full or partial Albanian descent,[21][22][23] and many still feel a connection to Kosovo.[24]

1999–2008

The Balkan conflicts of the 1990s in Bosnia and Kosovo placed them high on the agenda of Turkish regional security concerns entailing Turkey becoming involved with the region.

Turkish intelligence service (MIT) trained members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) at a military base İzmir.[26] The Turkish state also was distant from the crisis due to its concerns over the secessionist parameters of the Kosovo conflict and its implications for Kurdish secessionism in Turkey and also as the Turkish minority in Kosovo did not ally themselves with Albanians due to fears of being dominated by them during the struggle against the Serbs.[27] During the 1990s, alleviating the plight of Kosovar Albanians many of whom are Muslim resonated with the Turkish population and unlike European populations of the time who had negative views of Albanians due to the activities of the Albanian mafia in their countries.[26][28]

In Turkey during the Kosovo war there was a sense of historic responsibility to assist Kosovar Albanians due to them being Muslims and former "loyal" Ottoman citizens.[29][30] The Turkish population was concerned over events in Kosovo and due to historical, cultural, religious and other ties to the Balkans supported their government's anti-Serb and pro-NATO position.[29] Though expressing hesitation about a ground offensive, NATO member Turkey strongly supported and was involved in the bombing campaign against Yugoslavia supplying eighteen fighter jets.[31][29][30][32]

Post-war, Turkey has assisted Kosovo regarding stability and security through OSCE, UNMIK and KFOR missions deploying 1,000 troops through the latter in 1999.[30] Turkey currently has 540 troops serving in Kosovo as peacekeepers in the NATO led Kosovo Force.[33][34] When Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008, Turkey became one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo.[31] Turkey turned its coordination office in Pristina into an embassy after a cabinet decision to open a mission in Kosovo. The decision came in accordance with the reciprocity principle common in diplomatic relations, when Kosovo announced that it was planning to open one of its first foreign missions in Ankara.[35]

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kosovar Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi in Prizren, Kosovo (2010)

From the 2000s onward, Turkey's involvement and leverage within a political and economic context was deepened in Kosovo and the wider Balkans, due to the endeavours of the ruling AKP party wanting closer relations with countries that have Ottoman heritage and geo-political relevancy.[36] State relations of Kosovo with Turkey are friendly and close, due to the Albanian population of Turkey maintaining close links with Albanians of the Balkans and vice versa and also Turkey maintaining close socio-political, cultural, economic and military ties with Kosovo.[37][38][39][40] Turkey has been supportive of Kosovar geopolitical interests within the Balkans.[39] In the EU driven dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Turkey has officially supported the process to assist the region toward Euro-Atlantic integration.[41]

2008–present

Turkey was among the first countries to recognize Kosovo’s independence on February 18, 2008, just one day after its declaration. Turkish officials have consistently supported Kosovo’s international recognition, including efforts to join the United Nations and other global organizations.[42] Turkey maintains an embassy in Pristina, while Kosovo has an embassy in Ankara. High-level visits between leaders are frequent, strengthening political and economic ties. Turkey has also been involved in mediating regional disputes in the Balkans.[43]

In

Gallup polls conducted in recent times, Turkey is viewed as a friendly country with a positive image amongst a large majority (85 percent) of people in Kosovo.[39] Kosovar Albanians view Turkey as a trustworthy partner toward efforts in constructing a modern European country.[30] The closeness of Muslim traditions in Kosovo to those in Turkey has heightened the positive image and increased influence of the latter for Albanians.[30] Turkey is viewed as a traditional ally of the Albanians and the West and one of the main reasons for friendship with Turkey is due to its support for Kosovar independence.[30] As Kosovar Albanians have personal documentation only from the Republic of Kosovo, Turkey is one of a few places they can travel without applying for an entry permit.[44]

In October 2013, during an official state visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he affirmed close ties with Kosovo by stating in a speech that "We all belong to a common history, common culture, common civilisation; we are the people who are brethren of that structure. Do not forget, Turkey is Kosovo, Kosovo is Turkey!".[45] The comments were perceived negatively in Serbia.[41][45]

Turkey, a supporter of the Palestinian cause voiced its disappointment over calls for the establishment of a Kosovar Embassy in Jerusalem agreed to in the US brokered Kosovo and Serbia economic normalization agreements (2020), due to concerns it sidelined international law.[46]

Turkish attempts to influence Kosovar society

In the early 2010s, Turkey on occasion asked Kosovo to change or remove content on the Ottoman period in its school textbooks that it viewed as containing offensive material.[47][48][49][50] Debates ensured among Kosovar historians about whether content was based on bias and nationalism from past times or not, while Kosovo eventually changed more emotive language in school textbooks with neutral terminology.[50][49]

In February 2018, Kosovo Police prohibited an activity called "Freedom to Kurdistan" from taking place. Official reasons by the police given were there was the organizers lacked permits and that "unnamed individuals might try to cause an incident during the event that could result in consequences". Turkish media praised that ban, claiming that the event would spread pro-terrorist propaganda. Kosovo Minister of Public Administration Mahir Yağcılar condemned the planned event, calling it a "provocation" and urged people to avoid activities that would damage Kosovo's image and the country's relations with Turkey.[51][52]

Turkish soap operas are very popular in Kosovo, and in 2009 it was reported that a Turkish soap opera, Aci Hajat (Acı Hayat in Turkish), was the top show in Kosovo, with over 50% viewership.[53] Another one is Payitaht: Abdülhamid, a show known for its historical revisionism as well as its mix of antisemitic, anti-Western and conspiratorial themes. This show has become a focus of controversy in Kosovo, due to these problematic themes and messaging.[54][55]

Extradition of suspected Hizmet Movement of Turkish nationals

Six Turkish nationals were arrested in Kosovo on 29 March 2018 at Turkey's request over alleged links to schools financed by the

failed 2016 coup.[56] But this arrest was made in order to conceal even position and Kosovar opposition was strong against these arrests. In next day PM of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj
sacked the Kosovo interior minister and secret service chief for failing to inform him about the arrests.

While on March 31, 2018, speaking at the local congress of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Pendik district of Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that “You saw, our National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has packed 6 of these traitors in Kosovo and brought. Kosovo’s Prime Minister dismissed the interior minister and the person in charge of intelligence. Now, I am asking: You, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, with whose instructions did you do such a thing? Since when you are protecting those who attempted to make a coup in Turkey? You will pay the price for this. Politics cannot be done with remote control.”[57][58]

On April 2, after the intervention by Haradinaj, Erdogan accused Kosovo of "harboring terrorists", and said "The Kosovo PM protects

FETO terrorists on someone else’s order but my Kosovar brothers will punish him" and that "The operation in Kosovo was not the first time and will not be the last".[59]

Economic and cultural relations

The Albanian diaspora in Turkey lobbied the Turkish government for recognition of Kosovo's independence by Turkey.

Turkish National Anthem, and many other notable Turks with an Albanian origin. There are 20,000 Turks living in Kosovo,[62] and Turkish is one of the official regional languages
of Kosovo.

Turkey has become an important trading partner for Kosovo with its trade turnover being 8 percent.[36] Turkey has invested in Kosovo through Turkish construction projects and investments and have been focused toward key areas such as the building of strategic highways and rehabilitation and management of airports while construction contracts in the early 2010s totaled $500 million in Kosovo.[36][44] Turkey is one of the top three investors and an important donor country for Kosovo.[36][63] In 2020, the two countries agreed to have a cinematographic cooperation.[64]

As of 2023, the bilateral trade volume between Turkey and Kosovo reached $785 million. Turkey’s Trade Minister Ömer Bolat announced that the trade volume is expected to reach $1 billion by the end of 2024, highlighting Turkey’s growing economic engagement with Kosovo. Key Turkish exports to Kosovo include machinery, construction materials, food products, and textiles, while Kosovo exports raw materials and minerals to Turkey.[65]

Turkish companies have heavily invested in energy, airport operations, banking, telecommunications, and healthcare. Some of the most notable projects include:

  • Pristina International Airport – Managed by Limak Holding Limak Holding, a prominent Turkish conglomerate, operates Pristina International Adem Jashari Airport. The company has been involved in significant investments to expand and modernize the airport's facilities.[66]
  • Electricity Distribution Network – Operated by Limak-Çalık Consortium The Limak-Çalık Consortium, comprising Limak Holding and Çalık Holding, acquired Kosovo's electricity distribution and supply company (KEDS) in 2013. They have committed to substantial investments to enhance the electricity distribution infrastructure in Kosovo.[67]
  • Construction Projects – Turkish Companies' Involvement Turkish construction firms have successfully completed numerous infrastructure projects in Kosovo, contributing significantly to the country's development.[68]
  • Consultancy and Technical Services – Turkish Firms' Contributions Turkish technical consultancy firms have undertaken various projects in Kosovo, providing expertise in multiple sectors.[69]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Emecen 2012, p. 190.
  2. ^ Vickers 2011, pp. 17–24.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Geniş & Maynard 2009, pp. 553–555.
  4. ^ Gingeras 2009, p. 35.
  5. ^ Gingeras 2009, pp. 35–36.
  6. ^ a b Musaj 2013, pp. 244–246.
  7. ^ Musaj 2013, p. 247.
  8. ^ Gingeras 2009, p. 161.
  9. ^ a b c d Gingeras 2009, p. 164.
  10. ^ Gingeras 2009, pp. 161–162.
  11. ^ Judah 2008, pp. 45–46.
  12. ^ a b Gingeras 2009, p. 162.
  13. ^ Gingeras 2009, pp. 162–163.
  14. ^ a b c Gingeras 2009, p. 163.
  15. ^ Judah 2008, p. 40.
  16. ^ Daskalovski 2003, p. 20.
  17. ^ Emmert & Ingrao 2013, p. 94.
  18. ^ Judah 2008, p. 52.
  19. ^ Berisha, Mal (November 2000). Diaspora Shqiptare në Turqi (in Albanian). New York: ACCL Publishing. p. 13.
  20. ^ Hale 2002, p. 265.
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  25. ^ Sayari 2000, pp. 176–178.
  26. ^ a b Deliso 2007, p. 38.
  27. ^ Sayari 2000, p. 178.
  28. ^ Lani & Schmidt 1998, p. 90.
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  30. ^ a b c d e f Ağir & Arman 2016, pp. 149–150.
  31. ^ a b Bishku 2013, p. 98. "When NATO launched airstrikes in reaction to Serbian persecution and military actions against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in March 1999 – an action that lasted over two months – Turkey supplied eighteen jets. After that operation, Turkey contributed several hundred troops to the Kosovo Force, a continuing NATO-led peacekeeping operation originally authorized under United Nations Security Council resolution 1244. After Albania, Turkey was one of the first to recognize Kosovo as an independent state, on 18 February 2008."
  32. ^ "Turkish Air Force". Hvkk.tsk.tr. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  33. ^ Soler i Lecha 2013, p. 41.
  34. ^ "Kosovo Force (KFOR)" www.nato.int Link accessed 21-07-09
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  36. ^ a b c d Balcer 2012, p. 227.
  37. ^ "Albanians in Turkey celebrate their cultural heritage Archived 31 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine". Today's Zaman. 21 August 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  38. ^ Tabak, Hüsrev (03 March 2013). "Albanian awakening: The worm has turned! Archived 17 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine". Today's Zaman. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  39. ^ a b c d e Petrović & Reljić 2011, pp. 162, 166, 169–170.
  40. ^ "Genci Muçaj: Albania enjoys magnificent relations with Turkey Archived 2015-09-03 at the Wayback Machine". Koha Jonë. 14 Mars 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  41. ^ a b Eralp 2016, pp. xv–xvi.
  42. ^ "Kosovo declared 'fully independent'". BBC News. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
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  45. ^ a b "Erdogan: 'Kosovo Is Turkey'". al-monitor.com. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  46. ^ "Turkey 'disappointed' by Kosovo's move to recognise Israel". 6 September 2020.
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  49. ^ a b Hamidi, Lavdim (1 December 2010). "Pristina 'Told to Revise History Books'". Balkan Insight.
  50. ^ a b Musliu, Jeton (22 January 2013). "Kosovo Textbooks Soften Line on Ottoman Rule". Balkan Insight.
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  54. ^ "Turkish Series About Sultan Causes Concern in Kosovo". Balkan Insight. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  55. ^ Erdemir, Aykan; Kessler, Oren (15 May 2017). "A Turkish TV blockbuster reveals Erdogan's conspiratorial, anti-semitic worldview". The Washington Post. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  56. ^ "usnews.com". Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  57. ^ "Turkey's Erdoğan threatens Kosovo PM Haradinaj: 'You will pay the price for this'". stockholmcf.org. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  58. ^ "Turkish leader slams Kosovo's PM over secret deportations". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
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  69. ^ AA, Daily Sabah with (3 June 2024). "Türkiye targets $1B in bilateral trade with Kosovo by year-end". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 30 January 2025.

Sources

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