Activist and former New York City Council member Mark Gjonaj has strongly condemned a controversial statement made by Kingsley Wilson, the spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense. In a post on X, Wilson suggested that Kosovo should be returned under Serbian control, sparking outrage among Albanian and international communities.
Gjonaj took to the same platform to denounce Wilson’s statement, describing it as harmful and filled with hatred. He accused Wilson of sympathizing with Serbian genocidaires and war criminals, emphasizing that Kosovo’s independence was won through decades of suffering and horrific crimes committed by the Serbian regime.
“This is a harmful and hateful stance that sympathizes with Serbian genocidaires, war criminals, and rapists. Albanians are indigenous to Kosovo and have paid for their independence through decades of horror and atrocities: 1 million displaced, 13,950 killed, 20,000 raped, and 1,600 still missing!” Gjonaj wrote.
He also recalled NATO’s intervention in 1999 to stop the genocide in Kosovo and warned that any threat to Kosovo’s sovereignty could put Croatia and Bosnia at risk as well.
The US & NATO bombed Serbia to stop the genocide in Kosova. If you threaten Kosova’s sovereignty, Croatia & Bosnia are next in line. Don’t forget the bloody horrors of the Yugoslav wars. Genocide is genocide. #NeverAgain https://t.co/bnfu5gJoVv
— Mark Gjonaj (@MarkGjonajNY) February 27, 2025
“The United States and NATO bombed Serbia to stop the genocide in Kosovo. If Kosovo’s sovereignty is threatened, then Croatia and Bosnia are next. Do not forget the bloody horrors of the Yugoslav wars. Genocide is genocide. #NeverAgain,” he stated.
Gjonaj’s remarks follow strong reactions from U.S. Congressman Ritchie Torres and European Parliament member Lukas Mandl, both of whom condemned attempts to delegitimize Kosovo’s independence. Meanwhile, an official response from the Pentagon regarding Wilson’s statement is still awaited.