Richard Grenell congratulated Kosovo on its Independence Day, expressing the wish that Hashim Thaçi, who is in custody in The Hague, accused of war crimes, would also be present at the celebration, writes A2 CNN.
"I wish my friends in Kosovo a happy and safe celebration on the 17th anniversary of their Independence. However, this anniversary is overshadowed by a great injustice. The founding father of the state of Kosovo, President Hashim Thaçi, should be celebrating today in Pristina, not behind bars in The Hague," Grenell wrote in a post on the X platform.
"Europeans have failed to act on this injustice for the past 5 years. And Kosovo's state institutions have failed to take the necessary legal steps to end this injustice, because of politics. This unjust imprisonment must end."
A week ago, President Donald Trump named Richard Grenell as the interim executive director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, A2 CNN reports. The decision follows Trump's announcement that he would take on the role of chairman of the Kennedy Center's board, removing several current board members, including chairman David Rubenstein.
Grenell, a close Trump ally, previously served as U.S. ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence. Most recently, he was Trump's special envoy for special missions, including negotiating the release of six Americans detained in Venezuela.
The Kennedy Center, which receives state funding, is one of the leading arts institutions in the United States and has long enjoyed bipartisan support. Recent changes in its leadership have sparked discussions about the potential politicization of cultural institutions.
Before the elections in Kosovo, Grenell repeatedly attacked Prime Minister Albin Kurti, calling him untrustworthy. After this statement, he engaged in a remote debate with Kurti. (A2 Televizion)
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