The Portuguese government will support the Spanish vice president and the Minister of Economy, Nadia Calviño, in the ‘race’ for the leadership of the European Investment Bank (EIB), against the Danish Margrethe Vestager, a source linked to the process told Lusa.
The same source confirmed this Thursday to Lusa that Portugal, after the conversations held in recent months, will support Nadia Calviño because it considers that This candidate “is the most qualified” to assume the presidency of the EIB.
Nadia Calviño is, along with the executive vice president of the European Commission responsible for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, one of the main candidates in the ‘race’ for the leadership of the EIB, names to which the former Italian minister Daniele Franco, of the former Polish minister and vice-president of the EIB Teresa Czerwinska and the former Swedish Minister of Energy and also current vice-president of the institution Thomas Ostros.
In early September, Margrethe Vestager announced that she would be taking unpaid leave to focus on her candidacy.
this is today Considered one of the senior officials of the EU institutions, this time he attracts the interest of several senior European officialsafter being led for 12 years by German Werner Hoyer, who served two six-year terms and is now leaving.
Community source highlighted to Lusa the “renewed interest” in EIB leadershipwhich also reflects “a new page” of this one, which is The largest multilateral financial institution in the world in terms of assets. and that will be crucial to support the EU in its “green” and digital objectives.
The positions are known as EU finance ministers meet on Thursday and Friday in the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela for an informal meeting, on the sidelines of which the EIB’s leadership will be discussed.
However, according to sources consulted by Lusa A consensus on a name among the five candidates is not yet expected.which will most likely occur at the ordinary meeting of those responsible for Financial Supervision in October.
The decision is made by the EIB Board of Governorsmade up of the finance ministers of all EU countries.
The current president of the EIB, Werner Hoyer, will leave his position at the end of the year, so governments will have to name a successor until then.
Interrogated by Lusa, an official bank source indicated that this The selection process “is in the hands of the Member States, which are the shareholders of the EIB.” “The EIB does not comment on dates, candidates, deadlines or other aspects related to the process,” said the same source.
Owned by the Member States and headquartered in Luxembourg, the EIB is the financial institution of the community bloc, which financially supports projects inside and outside the EU aligned with European prioritiessuch as growth and improved employment, the fight against climate change and the digital transition.
It currently has own funds of 78 billion euros, an accounting balance of 544 billion euros and a subscribed capital of 249 billion euros.
It is the responsibility of the President of the EIB to direct decisions such as borrowing and granting financing, that is, loans and guarantees.
The selection of the new president is coordinated by the Belgian Minister of Finance, Vincent Van Peteghem, as current head of the EIB Board of Governors, who is already carrying out informal consultations to start the formal appointment procedure.
Source: Observadora
