Head of the Slovenian Bank Association France Arhar is among the names being put forward in the papers. Arhar, who was already the central bank governor between 1991 and 2001, has however been mentioned in connection to many top posts in the country in the past.
The list of potential candidates moreover includes former finance minister and present dean of the Ljubljana Faculty of Economics Dušan Mramor as well as respected economist Mojmir Mrak. Both are also being mentioned as candidates for finance minister in the emerging government of Alenka Bratušek.
Another name making rounds is former Banka Slovenije supervisor Boštjan Jazbec, presently an adviser of the IMF to the governor of the Kosovo central bank.
Jazbec, who also applied six years ago but was not proposed to parliament by the then President Janez Drnovšek, already confirmed for business daily Finance that Ljubljana Economics Faculty professor Igor Masten had put him forward and that he had consented to the candidacy.
Jazbec however clearly stated that he has no support guarantees in parliament or with President Pahor.
Moreover, according to Finance, Banka Slovenije has proposed present vice-governor Janez Fabijan, who confirmed the bid. As regards the fixing of the banking system, he said that fast operative measures are necessary, based on what has been drawn up so far.
The daily Dnevnik as well as Finance also singled out recently Franjo Štiblar, an expert on the banking system and a professor of economics, international banking and international economic relations at the Ljubljana Faculty of Law.
Štiblar is known as an opponent of the sale of Slovenia
n banks and a proponent of the idea of having at least one strong home-owned financial group that would serve as the backbone of the economy. He has also confirmed holding talks on the bid.
In line with the Banka Slovenije act, the president has 30 days to propose a candidate to succeed Kranjec. MPs then hold a secret vote in the proposal within 30 days. The candidate needs absolute majority support to get appointed.
The last appointment of the Banka Slovenije governor six years ago did not go smoothly. MPs first rejected two candidates picked by Drnovšek - incumbent Mitja Gaspari and vice-governor Andrej Rant - to eventuality confirm Marko Kranjec.
Source: SloveniaTimes
