Brussels, 27/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 26 February, ministers were unable to come to an agreement on the nomination of the future director of the European Police Office (Europol). “Member states will still have a little time to negotiate”, said Czech Home Minister Ivan Langer, addressing the press. “If we do not reach an agreement by (on 6 or 7) April, we shall use a new method inspired by the Vatican”, he added jokingly. He nonetheless recalled that the nomination procedure was “correct”. As foreseen in the current treaty, the Council is expected to decide by unanimity in favour of one of the two applicants. The last negotiations concerning the nomination of Mr Ratzel had lasted a whole year. The current director, Max-Peter Ratzel of Germany, is to leave his post in mid-April, after having announced that he will not be applying for a further term of office. Two candidates are still in the running for the vacant post. The first is Rob Wainwright of Britain, who is director of the international division of the Serious Organised Crime Agency. The second is Ferenc Banfi of Hungary, who is currently head of the EU border mission on the frontier between Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM). (B.C./transl.jl)