Estonia minister eyed as candidate for Central Bank: Report

TALLINN: Estonia's Finance Minister Jurgen Ligi would be a good candidate for Central Bank Governor if he applied; the official charged with approving the final appointment was quoted Saturday as saying.

Current Governor, Andres Lipstok, finishes his seven year term in June 2012 and the supervisory board of the bank is expected to approve a successor for the post by the end of 2011.

Whoever is appointed will also take the euro member's seat on the European Central Bank's policymaking governing council.

"I met Ligi and told him that if he agrees to put up his candidature, but he has not decided yet, then as a Chairman of the Supervisory Board, I would present his candidature with more than pleasure," Board Head Jaan Mannik told the Postimess daily.

"I can also say that in my opinion, Andrus Sutt, who is in Washington with International Monetary Fund on a three year contract, could be one of the candidates."

The Estonian finance ministry was unavailable to comment and the daily quoted Ligi as saying only that the media has speculated on he will run.

Mannik said he had asked the members of the supervisory board to put forward candidates by Sept.

Copyright Reuters, 2011