“In these matters, as with the governor of the BdP, what must prevail is the national interest,” stated José Luís Carneiro in Guimarães, in the district of Braga.
Speaking to journalists at the entry of the ceremony presenting Ricardo Costa’s candidacy for the presidency of the Guimarães City Hall, the Secretary-General of the PS focused on the importance of economic growth, steering clear of national controversies. Regarding the choice of the governor of the BdP, he remarked that “the status of Mário Centeno should be utilized.”
“We will await the Government’s decision. It is clear that Dr. Mário Centeno holds prestige nationally and internationally (…). This status should, in my view, be harnessed by the country. Failure to capitalize on this status, this prestige, means not adequately defending the interest of our country,” he noted.
José Luís Carneiro emphasized that “Mário Centeno is one of the most respected former Finance Ministers and top central bank officials in Europe,” which he believes should lead to “acknowledging the value of others, regardless of whether they belong to our party or not.”
“For instance, today at this ceremony, a large percentage of attendees are entrepreneurs who are not from the Socialist Party. Many vote for PSD, some for CDS, and we even have people from the Honorary Committee who were from CDS. What does this mean? When we prioritize the interests of people, a region, and a country over party interests, it is called the national interest,” he concluded.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro confirmed today that the Government will announce the new governor of the Banco de Portugal following Thursday’s Council of Ministers meeting.
“Next week, we will make this decision, and therefore, at Thursday’s Council of Ministers, we will announce our position,” he said.
Luís Montenegro addressed journalists upon arriving at Herdade do Chão da Lagoa, located in the mountains overlooking Funchal, where today’s annual PSD/Madeira festival took place, considered the largest party event organized in the region, drawing thousands of attendees.
Mário Centeno’s term as governor of the BdP ends today, and he has expressed willingness to continue for another term leading the central bank.
The Prime Minister did not mention any successor to Centeno, but when asked about the profile for the role, he emphasized that “the profile of the governor of the Banco de Portugal does not change over time.”
