* Govt approves Jozef Makuch as next Slovak c.bank governor
* Makuch to replace Ivan Sramko in Jan, join ECB council
* Parliament expected to vote on appointment by Thursday
(Changes sourcing, adds quotes, details)
By Martin Santa
BRATISLAVA, Dec 9 (Reuters) - The Slovak government picked
little-known Slovak central banker Jozef Makuch on Wednesday as
the bank's next governor, and he will replace outgoing head Ivan
Sramko at the European Central Bank from January if approved by
parliament.
Slovakia is the newest euro zone member after adopting the
euro as its currency at the start of the year, and its central
bank chief holds a vote on the ECB's Governing Council.
Makuch, 56, is a former chairman of the Slovak Financial
Market Authority (FMA) and joined the National Bank of Slovakia
board in 2006.
He was not a considered a frontrunner for the job and is
little-known to markets and the public, although media had
recently named him as a possible successor along with Sramko and
central bank vice-governor Viliam Ostrozlik.
"Mr. Makuch has a good academic background, but his monetary
policy views are hard to read for us," said Juraj Valachy,
analyst at Tatra Banka.
"He was head of the FMA, which is currently the central
bank's key task after euro adoption. He has a long track-record
at the central bank."
The ECB has cut interest rates to a record low 1 percent
this year. []
Sramko, who was promoted from vice-governor to head of the
central bank in 2005, told reporters on Wednesday he had turned
down an offer of another term from the end of this year but he
did not comment on the reasons for his decision.
He was a central banker during Slovakia's strongest growth
period in history this decade, and helped formulate monetary
policy that enabled Slovakia to become only the second
ex-communist state to switch to the euro.
Finance Minister Jan Pociatek told reporters there were more
candidates to replace Sramko, although he declined to give
names. He said Makuch was an expert familiar with the central
bank's functioning.
Makuch joined the central bank in 1993 and was appointed to
the bank board in 2006.
"We sought a candidate politically independent. He (Makuch)
is completely," Pociatek said.
Pociatek said he expected parliament to vote on Makuch's
nomination later on Wednesday or Thursday. President Ivan
Gasparovic must then sign off on the appointment.
Slovakia's heavily export-reliant economy is expected to
contract by 5.6-5.7 percent this year on a fall in demand for
the cars and electronics it makes. It grew 6.2 percent last
year.
Slovakia is seen returning to growth in 2010 with a 1.9
percent GDP rise, making it the EU's fastest growing economy
next year, based on European Commission forecasts.
(Editing by Jason Hovet and Hugh Lawson)
