Iceland Moves To Oust Central Bank Chief

冰岛议会周四决定解除冰岛央行行长奥德松(David Oddsson)的职务，数周来奥德松一直顶住来自总理和公众的压力拒绝辞职。奥德松曾于1991年至2004年出任冰岛总理，并从2005年起担任冰岛央行行长。他被普遍认为需要对严重破坏冰岛经济的银行体系崩溃负责。Landov冰岛央行行长奥德松今年1月份，冰岛政府因经济危机而被迫集体辞职。根据法律，政府不能解除央行行长的职务，奥德松也公开拒绝冰岛总理西古尔扎多蒂(Johanna Sigurdardottir)要他辞职的请求。因此西古尔扎多蒂起草了一项议案重组冰岛央行，要求央行行长必须拥有经济学硕士学位。而身为律师的奥德松不符合这项要求。冰岛议会周四通过了这项法案，目前已经呈交该国总统格林姆松(Olafur Grimsson)签署，预计将于周五生效。目前还不清楚谁将接替奥德松。西古尔扎多蒂表示，她可能会将视线投向国际以寻找适合人选。冰岛总理发言人周四表示，政府考虑接替人选时，将由临时行长负责央行。冰岛此前之所以能依靠银行业而繁荣，一定程度上得益于奥德松担任总理期间推行的经济改革。但去年的信贷危机使得冰岛命运急转直下。外国投资者纷纷撤离，给冰岛货币克朗带来了沉重打击。此前依赖向海外放贷实现迅猛增长的冰岛银行业目前背负着沉重的欧元和英镑负债，根本无法承受。冰岛政府也没有足够的外汇储备可以用来救助银行。就在去年10月的几天之内，冰岛三大银行全部倒闭，被政府接管。如今冰岛经济面临着失业率和通货膨胀率不断上升的困境，经济产值也相应地急剧收缩。冰岛已经从国际货币基金组织(IMF)接受了一笔21亿美元的贷款。批评人士称，冰岛央行未能履行最后放贷人的职责，没有随着银行体系的膨胀相应扩大外汇储备规模。他们指责奥德松失败的救助计划加快了冰岛银行业的崩溃。冰岛央行发言人表示，奥德松不愿对此置评。Charles Forelle相关阅读拉脱维亚政府因经济危机下台 2009-02-23冰岛总理宣布解散内阁 2009-01-27


Iceland's parliament moved to oust central-bank chief David Oddsson, who had for weeks resisted appeals by the prime minister and public to resign.Mr. Oddsson, Iceland's prime minister from 1991 to 2004 and central-bank chief since 2005, is widely blamed for a banking-system collapse that wreaked havoc on the island's economy.In January, the crisis claimed Iceland's entire government. By law, the central-bank chief can't be fired, and Mr. Oddsson publicly declined Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir's entreaties to step down. So she crafted a bill that reorganizes the central bank -- and requires that its governor have a master's degree in economics. Mr. Oddsson, a lawyer, doesn't have that credential.The bill, which Parliament passed Thursday, goes to President Olafur Grimsson for his signature and is expected to take effect Friday.It isn't clear who will succeed Mr. Oddsson. Ms. Sigurdardottir has said she would like to cast an international net in searching for candidates. A spokesman for the prime minister said Thursday that an interim central banker will be in place while the government considers candidates.Iceland grew rich on banking, thanks in part to economic reforms championed by Mr. Oddsson while he was prime minister.The credit crunch last year brought a reversal of fortune. Foreign investors fled, pounding the country's currency, the krona. The banks -- which had expanded rapidly by lending overseas -- were left with debts in euro and sterling they couldn't pay. The government didn't have enough foreign currency to bail out the banks. Over a few days in October, all three of the country's big banks collapsed and were seized by the government.Today, Iceland is facing a rise in unemployment and inflation and a correspondingly bleak contraction in economic output. It has accepted a $2.1 billion loan package from the International Monetary Fund.Critics said the central bank failed in its role as lender of last resort and maintained foreign-exchange reserves too small for the country's bloated banking system. They blame Mr. Oddsson for hastening the banks' collapse with ill-conceived rescue plans.The central bank's press officer said Mr. Oddsson wouldn't comment.Charles Forelle