Hahn’s spokesman clarifies Greece-Albania border comment

A spokesman for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn clarified on Wednesday that the EU official did not suggest a border change between Greece and Albania in remarks made at a Balkans conference earlier in the day.

“In no way did Commissioner Hahn refer to a border change,” the spokesman said, replying to a question by Kathimerini.

“While stressing the need to resolve the open bilateral issues prior to any future enlargement, he referred to the ongoing Greek-Albanian talks on the exclusive economic zone, which can only be achieved on the basis of a mutually acceptable agreement between the two countries,” he added.

Earlier, the Commissioner sparked controversy in local media after suggesting that negotiations between the two countries to delineate maritime borders in the Ionian sea could lead to a “restructuring of borders.”