Religion in Albania

As Turkey maintains pressure on Balkan countries to clamp down on so-called Gulenists - followers of the US-based cleirc Fethullah Gulen accused of masterminding the failed Turkish coup attempt on July 15,  experts in Albania say the country must put its own interests ahead of those of Ankara.

Albanian agencies in charge of property compensation and legalisation are creating a special joint unit to resolve the thorny issue of religious properties.

In the letter to the Prime Minister, Edi Rama, representatives of four religious denominations in Elbasan question a Supreme Court decision, which orders the Catholic church to vacate the premises of the St Pius X parish in order to return the land to a family that claims it.

"Religious tolerance is a treasure that you should protect well and which merits special attention in a time when extremism is threatening religious coexistence," Pope Francis said during a meeting with Albania's President Bujar Nishani.

"No one should think that can use God's strength to carry acts of violence," he added.