Turkish President Erdoğan begins Balkan tour with Albania visit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan departed for Albania on Thursday, kicking off a two-day Balkan tour that also includes Serbia.

Erdoğan left Ankara's Esenboga Airport at 9.55 a.m. local time (0655GMT) on the presidential plane. He was accompanied by his wife Emine Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and other senior officials.

In the Albanian capital, Erdoğan will inaugurate the Grand Mosque of Tirana, also known as Namazgah Mosque, in a ceremony which the Balkan nation's Prime Minister Edi Rama is also expected to attend.

Erdoğan's visits in the region are expected to include a comprehensive review of bilateral relations with both countries.

Several of Tirana's streets were decorated with Turkish and Albanian flags ahead of Erdogan's visit.

In addition to the route Erdogan will take during his visit, as well as the city's Mother Teresa Square, flags also decorate the Tirana Namazgah Mosque, which will be the largest mosque in the Balkans.

Following his contacts in Albania, Erdogan will move on to the Serbian capital Belgrade later on Thursday.