Parties forming the ruling coalition in Latvia have agreed to propose the current Vice-President of the Bank of Latvia Santa Purgaile, as LETA was told by the leader of New Unity’s Saeima faction Edmunds Jurēvics.
According to him, Purgaile holds conceptual support from the Saeima factions of the parties that compose the ruling coalition.
The coalition believes that Purgaile meets all the criteria, with particular emphasis on impeccable reputation and ability to perform his duties from the first day in office at the Bank of Latvia, as well as when it comes to representing Latvia in the European Central Bank, stressed Jurēvics.
Purgaile holds a Master’s degree in international economics and business. She has extensive experience in the financial field – from 2019 to 2022 she served as Chairman of the Financial and Capital Market Commission and held various senior positions in the banking sector, Jurēvics continued.
On Monday, the 27th of January, partners of the coalition plan to meet with Purgaile in order to officially announce her candidacy,
as well as provide an opportunity to her to provide her vision for the future of the Bank of Latvia to various media representatives and answer their questions.
Once the candidate has been announced officially, Purgaile will meet with all Saeima factions willing to interview her.
As previously reported, opposition parties “Combined List” and the National Alliance submitted an official application to the Saeima Praesidium. In it, the two parties officially suggest Mārtiņš Kazāks for the post of President of the Bank of Latvia.
In their statement to the media, the two parties noted that they invite all other parties represented in the Saeima to support Kazāks.
The President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs has said that he expects clarity on the issue of the President of the Bank of Latvia this week, reminding that the person in question will still have to receive a permit to access official secrets, which will take time.
Applications for new candidates can be submitted until the 31st of January.
It is necessary to find a new President of the Bank of Latvia because the 21st of December marked the end of the term of the previous head of the central bank – Mārtiņš Kazāks.