“My decision and the decision of the National Bank vice governor to resign weren’t connected with persons holding high-ranking posts in state institutions. I then referred to principles and the attitude of the political class to the central bank. The replacement of persons in particular state bodies is not a guarantee of the change of this attitude and of the independence of the bank’s policies,” National Bank governor Dorin Dragutanu said when answering journalists’ questions, quoted by IPN.
Dragutanu said that he does not want to state his opinion about the candidates running for the post of governor of the National Bank. “The names of the candidates are known. Parliament will take a decision. I will not comment on the candidates and their statements until the new government is not invested. It won’t be right. It is the press that should do this,” he stated.
He noted that no matter who the new governor is, the ensuring of the de facto independence of the National Bank remains a priority. The legal framework on crisis management, in particular the interaction between the state institutions, is to be reviewed. The situations when the bank cannot act before another state institution pronounces on the issue should be eliminated.
Dragutanu considers the activity of the National Committee on Financial Stability should also be reviewed. The Prime Minister should not be a member of this Committee, which must professionally address the acute financial problems and formulate conclusions and present them to the Government so that this later approves appropriate policies.
