Grenell: The idea of mutual recognition is ridiculous, economic development is the priority

U.S. President’s Special Envoy for Special Missions, Richard Grenell, stated that the administration of Donald Trump will approach the issue of Kosovo step by step. He also stressed that, in his view, the idea of mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo is “ridiculous,” and that the focus should instead be on economic development, Klan Kosova reports.

“I think we will go step by step. Of course, we are fully engaged on these issues, but as I’ve said, we are working on economic development around the world. That’s the focus,” Grenell said in an interview for Klan Kosova.

Asked whether he plans to revisit earlier topics such as border correction, Grenell replied that “there is no going back to anything.”

“I think the plans have always been economic. There is no going back to anything. We have always focused on economic development as the driver for solving problems, and we will continue to do so,” Grenell said.

He noted that the people of Kosovo are “an extraordinary partner” of the United States.

Speaking about the strained relations between the Kosovo government led by Albin Kurti and the U.S. administration, Grenell pointed out that the damage is linked to the economic sphere.

“We need a government that is ready to invest, not to engage in politics. What I would say is that we have tried, but there is too much politics. They are not interested in doing the things necessary for economic growth. Not only American businessmen, but Western businessmen in general are saying the same thing,” Grenell said.

He explained that while working on the final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, he envisioned reaching a point where economic development would be so substantial that it would overcome politics and lead to the withdrawal of NATO troops from Kosovo.

“I’ve said this before, and I think that when we were working on these agreements before the [Washington Agreement], I envisioned that we would get to a point where economic development would be so strong that it would outweigh politics, and then we could move to the stage of NATO troop withdrawal,” Grenell noted.

He said he looks forward to the day when NATO troops leave.

“I am not suggesting that this be done now, because hostilities are still taking place. It is important to maintain NATO troops. But I look forward to the day when they are no longer needed, because when you have NATO troops protecting a country’s security, you send a message to the business community that it is not safe,” Grenell said.

According to Grenell, in his personal opinion, the idea of mutual recognition is ridiculous, because young people want jobs.

“This is my personal opinion — the idea of mutual recognition is ridiculous. Why do we have this political dialogue where it’s written ‘you have to love me and I have to love you’? Young people want jobs,” he stressed.

He reiterated that the goal should be economic development.

“I think you should aim for economic development and jobs for young people in Kosovo. But politicians focus on this mutual recognition instead of on jobs,” Grenell said.

Grenell emphasized that political solutions are reached through economic development, which happens when people have jobs, rather than “sitting and talking about politics.”

“I think you can ensure that there are no threats. But you don’t need a system in which you have to seek this mutual recognition. These are politicians trying to find political solutions,” he said.

Speaking about the Specialist Chambers and in response to a question on whether the U.S. government would recognize the decision if former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi were convicted, Grenell said he “still believes in the judicial system and that individuals will listen to the evidence and not act politically.”

“I still believe in the judicial system, that individuals listening to the evidence will not act politically. Look at the evidence, and I would really encourage people to view what is being said as an indictment against Thaçi,” Grenell said.

He underlined that he is focused on the case in The Hague but does not wish to get into details.

“I want to have hope and common sense that the judges will dismiss [the indictment], and at that point I want us to have a genuine understanding of why this is happening, why these political prosecutions are taking place. We have to clean up this mess,” Grenell said.

He added that acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti and President Vjosa Osmani could help Hashim Thaçi, thereby protecting Kosovo.

“I think that either President Osmani or Prime Minister Albin Kurti can do something here — and this is not about helping Hashim Thaçi but about helping Kosovo. This is about restoring Kosovo’s sovereignty, about the claim that they will handle their own judicial matters,” Grenell emphasized, adding:

“No one is saying that these indictments should automatically be dismissed, but we have always envisioned that there would be no international judge trying the case, and that Kosovan judges would be brought in to show they have a judicial system that properly delivers justice,” Grenell said.

He believes Kurti and Osmani should do more to protect Kosovo.

“I have appealed to Albin Kurti and President Osmani to both do more to protect Kosovo, because one day it’s Hashim Thaçi, the next day it could be them. Political persecution is terrible — we must reject it and have a system that protects them from it, whether in America or in Kosovo,” Grenell concluded.