Haradinaj denied US visa, but gets Trump's holiday card

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj took to Facebook on Wednesday to show off a holiday card that he received from US President Donald Trump.

"Today, I had the special honor to receive congratulations on the year-end holidays from President of the United States of America Donald Trump," Haradinaj wrote.

He interpreted the message as "confirmation of permanent friendship between Pristina and Washington."

Haradinaj also revealed that he received a telegram from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who "thanked him for his personal, but also for the institutional support Kosovo gives to the fight against terrorism and radicalism."

"The government and the people in Kosovo will always stand with the United States," Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

Radio Free Europe reported on Tuesday that Haradinaj "canceled a planned visit to the US state of Iowa this week because he was unable to get a visa."

The broadcaster said it learned this from Iowa National Guard spokesman Colonel Greg Hapgood, who also said the National Guard's commander had invited Haradinaj to an event on January 11.

Earlier in the week, media reports suggested that Haradinaj had applied for a US visa in order to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC - and that he was "still waiting" to hear if it had been approved.