// Estela Silva / Lusa
Álvaro Santos Pereira
Economist Álvaro Santos Pereira is chosen to govern Banco de Portugal (BDP), succeeding in office to Mario Centeno.
Zap had already reported, on the morning of Thursday, that Álvaro Santos Pereira It was the favorite to.
Confirmation that the former Minister of Economics and Employment (2011-2013) is the New Governor of Banco de Portugal It arrived in the early afternoon.
The appointment was taken at the meeting of the Council of Ministers, this Thursday, and announced at the end, at a press conference, by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
António Leitão Amaro who revealed that the name of Álvaro Santos Pereira was a Proposal by Joaquim Miranda Sarmento – Interestingly, it was absence at this executive meeting.
“By decision of the Council of Ministers, by proposal of the Minister of Finance, [o novo governador] It will be Professor Doctor Álvaro Santos Pereira, ”announced Leitão Amaro.
Alvaro Santos Pereira has been, since the beginning of last year, the chief economist of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
About two weeks ago, in an interview with Expresso, the former governor said he was “Very happy” in the current position OECD Chief economist
On the same occasion, about the possibility of being the next governor of the BDP declined to comment: “I will not comment who will be the future governor – can be governor either – nor any other theme about Banco de Portugal. It is not for me to comment.”
However, he then left indirect criticism of the Mário Centeno governance: “Most importantly, the Central Bank is independent of political power. The Central Bank cannot be political, it has to be independent and technical”He pointed out.
Asked directly about whether Mario Centeno had been an independent governor, Álvaro said, “I won’t comment.”
Although he was minister of the PSD/CDS-PP government, Álvaro is not a militant of either party. It was precisely the independent profile of Santos Pereira, who was one of the motivations for this executive choice.
“It’s the best choice (…) [Álvaro Santos Pereira] It is today the main economist of one of the main organizations of the world economy. He is a profound knowledge of the Portuguese economy, a profound connoisseur of the international economy, knowledgeable of the financial system, ”said minister of the presidency after the Council of Ministers.
The 52 -year -old economist succeeds Mario Centeno, whose term ended last Sunday.
Santos Pereira ahead a five -year term; and will be the national member of the Council of Governors of the European Central Bank responsible for the conducting the monetary policy of the eurozone.
The name of the next governor will now have to go through the Assembly of the Republic for a hearing. However, parliamentary commissions only work until this Friday (25), then going to parliamentary holidays. In this scenario, Santos Pereira You should only take office in September.
