Esposito: Islam cannot be an obstacle for EU integration

In an interview for Top Channel, he says that ISIS can recruit from several countries, including Balkan. What we should see is at what level and how they can do this.

“People are concerned about Balkan due to the memories they have with war in this region. This is related to what happened with Al Qaeda, which took advantage of these events to penetrate the area. The information I have shows that a country like Albania is not at risk, based on the history”, Esposito says.

Prof. Dr. John Esposito made this comment about the 70 Albanians thought to have joined ISIS.

“If we compare this phenomenon with the Albanian population, 70 is not a huge number. It is not similar to the countries that have 500, 700 or 3000 fighters. It is important for the religious leaders and the education sector to study the profile of these people, what they share with each other, and bring the right conclusions. I am not surprised that there are young people among them”.

Is there any risk that they might return from Syria?

“I think that if they want to return and leave ISIS, they do not pose a threat. They might have gone there with romantic ideas on their minds. The others are dangerous, because they might be encouraged by ISIS”, the professor says.

According to Prof. Dr. John Esposito, This phenomenon should never be an obstacle for the integration of Albania and Kosovo in the EU.

“European countries have the biggest problems with ISIS. Albania and the other countries can tell the EU members that they are joining the family, but the ones with these problems are the EU countries, and they are taking them here. I think it will never be an obstacle”, John Esposito underlined.

Top Channel