BUDAPEST, March 22 (Reuters) - Hungarian banker Eva Buza
is likely to succeed Bianka Parragh on the central bank's
rate-setting Monetary Council after Parragh's six-year term
expires this week, the news website mfor.hu reported late on
Tuesday, citing market sources.
The central bank's press office declined to comment on the
report, which also said Zoltan Kovacs, who previously worked for
the Hungarian Postal Service, would join the board next month.
Buza, the head of Hungary's Garantiqa Hitelgarancia Zrt.,
has led state-owned companies for more than two decades, with
the small business guarantee portfolio of Garantiqa posting a
seven-fold increase under her management over the past seven
years.
News website mfor.hu said parliament's economic affairs
committee, which is in charge of the nomination process, could
hold a confirmation hearing of the new members of the
nine-strong Monetary Council next Monday.
The body has made its decisions in unanimity over the past
years, meaning the new appointments are unlikely to swing the
balance of power within the rate-setting board.
However, the new appointments come at a time of turmoil in
global financial markets and as the central bank faces increased
pressure from Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government to start
lowering interest rates amid a sharp economic slowdown.
The central bank holds its monthly policy meeting next
Tuesday.
(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs
Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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