(Repeats story from Wednesday)
* 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.
(For accompanying FACTBOX pls see ... [])
(Editing by Jason Hovet and Hugh Lawson)
