During a press conference following the Cabinet meeting, Leitão Amaro was questioned about the selection of a former Minister of Economy from a PSD/CDS-PP administration between 2011 and 2013 for the central bank, after stating that Santos Pereira did not come from a government.
“Professor Álvaro Santos Pereira has not been a government official for over a decade, is not a member of any political party, has never been a candidate for any political party, and he served Portugal,” he said.
Regarding Mário Centeno, Leitão Amaro argued that “the good preservation of independence” would have recommended a “minimum period of two to three years” between the Government and the Bank of Portugal.
“The experience of executive roles can be an asset, as long as independence conditions are ensured, and there’s not a transition akin to moving boats without getting one’s feet wet,” he stated.
