Timmermans doesn't want to do the "dirty work"

Minister Frans Timmermans (Foreign Affairs) does not want to the "dirty work" for other European countries by prematurely opposing Albania's membership. He will look for allies within Europe to support his position.The European Committee wants to make Albania a candidate member. European heads of State and government leaders will decide on the matter later this month. The Dutch government does not feel Albania is ready yet to receive this status ('a political gesture,' in the words of Timmermans.) The country complied with the political conditions, but has not implemented all of them yet, according to Timmermans. If the Balkan country is ready by the middle of next year, it should be granted the candidate membership after all. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"26770","attributes":{"class":"media-image size-medium wp-image-10217","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"European Commission"}}]] European Commission / Flickr

A majority of the House (VVD, SP, PVV, ChristenUnie, and CDA) is against the candidate membership of Albania, revealed a debate about the expansion of the EU Wednesday. If the Dutch reveal their position now, the Netherlands will find itself alone in a corner of the EU, explained the Minister. Other countries who share the opinion that Albania is not ready, will leave the "dirty work" up to the Dutch. The Netherlands will have to deal with all the criticism, and other countries will stay "below the wind." Timmermans does not feel like playing that game. The House eventually agreed with the proposition of the Minister to give him until next week to find allies in other European countries.