This Monday, the PAN accused the Governor of the Bank of Portugal of “not being able to take off the PS shirt”, while the PCP considered that “what is required of Mário Centeno is to defend the interests of Portugal”.
Speaking to journalists in parliament, the PAN’s sole deputy, Inês de Sousa Real, argued that the governor of the Bank of Portugal “must consider whether or not he meets the conditions to continue in office”, claiming that “he currently does not have equal distance and independence required of the Governor of the Bank of Portugal”.
‘What does that guarantee us? [Mário Centeno] Aren’t you defending the interests of the PS and your interests, instead of the interests of the Portuguese? It was clear that, apart from not taking off the PS shirt, he does not defend the interests of the country,” the deputy added, indicating that the governor of the Bank of Portugal “is clearly positioning himself politically, rather than to be focused on the interests of the country.” function.”
Inês de Sousa Real said her party was “very critical of the appointment of” Mário Centeno and that “since his appointment there are no more conditions for independence”.
PCP deputy Duarte Alves opined that “what has happened in recent times is nothing new” and that “regardless of who occupies the position of Governor of the Bank of Portugal, it is required that they defend the interests of Portugal and the Portuguese . “.
When asked whether the statements made by the Governor of the Bank of Portugal pose a problem, Duarte Alves emphasized that as far as the PCP is concerned “it is Mário Centeno’s policy” and that the issues in which he is involved are evaluated by the ethics committee of the central bank.
What is problematic, according to the communists, is the way Mário Centeno “has been a branch of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the way he has allowed the increase in house payments and bank commissions.”
“The main problem when talking about the independence of Banco de Portugal is the independence of the sector that is regulated and what we have seen is the submission of Banco de Portugal and its governor to the interests of the banks,” he added .
The Governor of the Bank of Portugal is appointed by decision of the Council of Ministers, on a proposal from the Member of Government responsible for Finance, and after obtaining the opinion of the Assembly of the Republic.
Speaking to the Financial Times newspaper on Sunday, the governor of the Bank of Portugal stated that he had “received an invitation from the President and the Prime Minister to reflect and consider the possibility of leading the government” and that he was “far from of a decision”.
Shortly afterwards, in a note published on his official website in the early hours of this Monday, the President of the Republic denied inviting anyone to head the government, including the Governor of the Bank of Portugal, Mário Centeno, or authorizing for any contact with the government. this effect.
Mário Centeno made it clear in a statement this morning that he had not been invited by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to lead the government.
“It is unequivocal that the President of the Republic did not invite me to head the government” as he chose to dissolve the Assembly of the Republic, the governor said.
In the statement published today on the banking regulator’s website, the governor clarified that after the events caused by the resignation of Prime Minister António Costa on Tuesday, “he” invited him “to reflect on the conditions that would allow to take on the role of Prime Minister.”
“The invitation to this reflection arose from the conversations that the Prime Minister had with the President of the Republic,” he said, indicating that “there was never an acceptance of the position, but only an agreement to continue the reflection and to conclude in accordance with the decision that the President of the Republic would take”.
Source: DN
