The Secretary General of the PP, Cuca Gamarraquestioned this Wednesday the independence of the Minister of Social Transformation and Civil Service, Jose Luis Escriváas governor of the Bank of Spain (ECB), which will be made official this Wednesday in Congress. It will be the first in democratic history that goes directly from the table of Council of Ministers at the head of the control body.
But for the popular deputy, this nomination represents “an attack” by the government against the organization, subject to conditions of independence and neutrality.
“You cannot be a minister during the day and a governor at night,” Gamarra accused in statements to the media. “His appointment compromises the bank and the international prestige of Spain,” he assures, “because when he meets with an organization, they will not see the governor of the Bank of Spain: you will see a PSOE minister“.
Escrivá had known for months that he would be governor of the Bank of Spain, replacing Pablo Hernandez de Cos. Actually, Pedro Sanchez Not only did he discuss it with him at that time, but in November 2023 he designed his role within the government to facilitate his replacement and transition to banking supervisor.
To proceed with the appointment, Moncloa had to contact the PP, since the choice of the governor is the exclusive power of the president of the government, but there is always an agreement with the opposition so that it appoints the vice-governor. This is how it has always been done.
But on this occasion, this was not done until the General Council of the Judiciary gave its approval last June. The Government informed the PP that its only candidate was Escrivá.
From the beginning, the PP expressed its rejection on the grounds that it does not guarantee the appearance of neutrality that the position requires and, moreover, it is contrary to the spirit of the signed pact on Justice that limits this type of “revolving doors” of the Government to jurisdictional activity.
This same “spirit” was also recalled by Gamarra, applauding the recent appointment of Isabel Perelló as president of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ). “It would also have been a good opportunity for the first time that there is a woman governor at the Bank of Spain in more than 200 years,” he warned.
Regarding the conversations that led to Escrivá’s appointment, popular sources assure that in fact they thought it was a negotiating position to then reach a consensus on another name less “committed.” In fact, the government then disclosed the name and reinforced the impression of the PP negotiators.
