Jens Stoltenberg resigns from his position as central bank governor – VG

Updated less than 10 minutes ago

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On Thursday, all NATO leaders will meet physically for the first time since the start of the war. Thursday marks one month since Russia invaded Ukraine.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg called a press conference on Thursday afternoon after the NATO summit. Ahead of the press conference, however, he confirms that he will continue in his job until September 2023.

– I have today agreed to continue as Secretary General of NATO. We are facing a period of destiny for European security. I am grateful for the trust that NATO’s heads of state and government have shown me, and I will devote all my attention to leading the alliance through this demanding time, says Stoltenberg.

At the same time, he states that he has informed the Ministry of Finance that he is resigning from his position as central bank governor.

– NATO needs a Secretary General who is not on his way elsewhere for a long time, especially now, he says.

– Of course I would like to see Jens Stoltenberg become our next central bank governor, but we are in the middle of a dramatic situation in Europe and I have great understanding that he prioritises continuing in the important role he has in NATO, says Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum ( Q) in a press release.

Wold becomes new central bank governor

In February, the government defied the criticism and appointed Stoltenberg as the new central bank governor. It was great excitement related to who should get the job.

Several parties announced early on that they were planning control issues over the hiring process.

Deputy Governor Ida Wolden Bache and former Labor leader and NATO’s current Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg were singled out as the two leading candidates, but there has been a lot of storming around the latter’s candidacy.

The Minister of Finance will now as soon as possible present a recommendation to the King in Council to appoint Ida Wolden Bache as central bank governor for a term of six years, the Ministry of Finance writes in the press release.

Rejected extension

In recent weeks, Stoltenberg has repeatedly denied that he will continue in NATO. Most recently just over a week ago, he said that he has plans to return to Norway this autumn, and that it is therefore not relevant to continue in NATO.

– I have got a job in Norway that I plan to take at the end of the year. These have been the plans all along, Stoltenberg answered after a question from VG at a press conference.

Before Stoltenberg was appointed central banker, he received repeated calls from several major NATO countries to continue as NATO Secretary General, even after his current agreement expires on October 1 this year.

– It is up to the 30 allied countries to decide. My focus is to prepare for the summit tomorrow, Stoltenberg said the press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

– I leave it up to the member states to decide, he added.

– Wise of NATO

– Jens Stoltenberg does a very good job as Secretary General of NATO, and enjoys great trust in the alliance. It is therefore wise for NATO member countries to extend Jens Stoltenberg’s term, says Ine Eriksen Søreide (H), chair of the Storting’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

She emphasizes that we are now in the most serious security situation in Europe since World War II.

– The Conservatives have always believed that there are strong arguments for continuity in the leadership position in NATO. In recent weeks, the allies in Europe, the United States and the rest of the West have really shown the ability to unite in the face of an aggressive Russia. In my and the Conservatives’ view, Stoltenberg plays an important role in that work, and we are happy that he has agreed to continue, she says.

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