Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Finance Yair Lapid will meet today to finally appoint a new Governor of the Bank of Israel to replace Prof. Stanley Fischer who stepped down at the end of June.
As "Globes" revealed in September there is a dispute between Netanyahu and Lapid over who should serve as the Bank of Israel's ninth governor. By law the prime minister appoints the governor in consultation with the minister of finance.
The Turkel Committee on Public Appointments has approved three candidates for the job - Prof. Mario Blejer, Victor Medina, and Prof. Zvi Eckstein.
Netanyahu is reportedly inclined towards appointing former Governor of the Argentine Central Bank Mario Blejer after Lapid vetoed his first choice of Victor Medina. Lapid prefers Eckstein but such a choice by Netanyahu would be seen as a victory for Lapid, thus reducing the chances of the former deputy governor of the Bank of Israel.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 15, 2013
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