French media "Intelligence Online": Preparations for the establishment of the Bektashi micro-state in Albania are intensifying

Preparations for the creation of the sovereign state of the Bektashi Order in Tirana are entering a new phase, with the community's leaders working on future institutional structures and its representation outside Albania.

This is what Intelligence Online writes in an article published on August 18, 2026, by Franck Renaud. According to the French media specializing in intelligence issues and networks of influence, less than two years after Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the creation of the sovereign Bektashi enclave, the leaders of the Order are laying the foundations for its future status.

The project, announced by Rama at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024, envisages the creation of a state in Tirana with an area of ​​about 11 hectares, about a quarter of the size of the Vatican. According to Intelligence Online, this state aims to be the smallest in the world and has often been described as a “Muslim Vatican.”

French media writes that its officialization by Albanian authorities is expected to occur in the coming months.

Intelligence Online emphasizes that the Bektashi Order promotes a moderate form of Islam and interfaith dialogue.

Coins and passports are being prepared

One of the most unique elements of the project is the creation of symbols and structures of an independent state.

According to Franck Renaud, Bektashi leaders are considering the possibility of creating a new currency, which would be called the “bek” and, according to the article, could be indexed to the price of gold. It is also envisaged that passports will be issued by future Bektashi authorities.

The spiritual leader of the Order, Baba Mondi, whose real name is Edmond Brahimaj, continues to receive foreign delegations at the Bektashi world headquarters in Tirana. According to Intelligence Online, among them were representatives of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Representatives in the USA, France and Belgium

According to French media, the Bektashi Order has also begun creating a network of representatives abroad. The envoys have been appointed under the direction of Kreshnik Grezda, who holds the role of ambassador general.

The representative for the United States is Christopher Hyland, founder of a New York-based luxury textile company. Intelligence Online describes him as an entrepreneur active in the Balkans who in 1992 was an advisor to Bill Clinton's presidential campaign and deputy national political director for ethnic constituencies.

For France and Belgium, Hazis Vardar, a Belgian entrepreneur of Albanian origin and active in the cultural sector, has been appointed as representative. Vardar runs several theaters and museums in Europe, while he is also co-founder of the Albanian company DataSentinel Balkans, focused on open source intelligence (OSINT).

The OSINT network and French companies

The Intelligence Online article also touches on the activity of DataSentinel Balkans.

Vardar serves as the company's administrator, while Julien-Gérard Roche, a French businessman active in Albania since the 1980s and president of the France-Albania Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is an advisor.

The company also includes Jean-Christophe Cloetens, a former French gendarme who has experience in Albania and the Balkans from his work in the BLAT counterterrorism office of the French gendarmerie. According to Renaud, DataSentinel Balkans has formed partnerships with two French companies to support its operations: Cyber ​​ICS, which specializes in cybersecurity and “dusting attacks,” and Terra OSINT, which is developing a platform for analyzing influence operations and reputational risks.

In this way, according to Intelligence Online, the Bektashi state project is not limited to the creation of a special territorial status in Tirana, but is also accompanied by the preparation of its symbolic, diplomatic and international representation structures./ Intelligence Online

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