President Appoints Dusan Keketi as Vice-governor of NBS

Bratislava, May 9 (TASR) - Dusan Keketi was appointed as vice-governor of Slovakia's central bank (NBS) by President Peter Pellegrini on Friday after previously serving as tourism and sport minister until March, when he was replaced by Rudolf Huliak (Independent) following a coalition agreement. The president praised the new NBS vice-governor's professional and personal qualities, but emphasised that Slovakia faces tougher times ahead when it comes to economic growth, with potential impacts from trade wars and tariffs contributing to economic uncertainty and a gradual collapse of the global market. "Slovakia's central bank is the guardian and regulator of this environment, overseeing both financial and capital markets. This makes the authority of the institution unquestionable, and those who represent the central bank bear an even greater responsibility. The Slovak Republic relies on your professionalism and expertise. In these challenging times, we must continue with the consolidation of public finances, which may require the use of unpopular measures. However, it's essential that these cost-saving measures should be predictable, well-argued and balanced," the president stated. Pellegrini also pointed out that Slovakia and the EU urgently need to strengthen the competitiveness of their economies, as well as the European security pillar. lin/df