Jiří Rusnok

Czech politician and economist
Jiří Rusnok
Rusnok in 2013
Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
In office
25 June 2013 – 29 January 2014
PresidentMiloš Zeman
DeputyJan Fischer
Martin Pecina
Preceded byPetr Nečas
Succeeded byBohuslav Sobotka
Governor of the Czech National Bank
In office
1 July 2016 – 30 June 2022
Appointed byMiloš Zeman
Vice GovernorMojmír Hampl
Vladimír Tomšík
Preceded byMiroslav Singer
Succeeded byAleš Michl
Minister of Industry and Trade
In office
15 July 2002 – 19 March 2003
Prime MinisterVladimír Špidla
Preceded byMiroslav Grégr
Succeeded byMilan Urban
Minister of Finance
In office
13 April 2001 – 15 July 2002
Prime MinisterMiloš Zeman
Preceded byPavel Mertlík
Succeeded byBohuslav Sobotka
Personal details
Born (1960-10-16) 16 October 1960 (age 63)
Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
(now Czech Republic)
Political partySocial Democratic Party (1998–2010)
Independent (2010–present)
Alma materUniversity of Economics, Prague

Jiří Rusnok (born 16 October 1960) is a Czech politician and economist who served as the prime minister of the Czech Republic between June 2013 and January 2014. From 2016 to 2022 he served as the governor of the Czech National Bank.

Previously, Rusnok served in the government of the Czech Republic as minister of Finance from 2001 to 2002 and as minister of Industry and Trade from 2002 to 2003. On 25 June 2013, he was appointed as the prime minister by President Miloš Zeman.[1][2] Rusnok replaced Petr Nečas, who resigned over a corruption and spying affair.

On 25 May 2016, President Miloš Zeman appointed Rusnok as fourth governor of the Czech National Bank, succeeding Miroslav Singer. Rusnok took office on 1 July 2016.[3] His second term ended on 30 June 2022, and from 1 July 2022 he was replaced by Aleš Michl.[4]

Early life

Rusnok was born in Ostrava-Vítkovice.[5] He studied at the University of Economics in Prague, graduating in 1984.

Career

Rusnok worked for Státní plánovací komise (State Planning Commission) and Federální ministerstvo pro strategické plánování (Federal Ministry for Strategic Planning). Before the so-called Velvet Revolution, he was a candidate for membership in the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.[6]

In the 1990s, Rusnok worked as director of a department of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (1992–1998). He joined politics in 1998 as a member of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD). Prime Minister Miloš Zeman appointed Rusnok to his cabinet as Finance Minister in June 2001. He continued as Minister of Industry and Trade in the cabinet of Vladimír Špidla; however, he resigned his post and parliamentary mandate and left politics in March 2003, after disagreements with Špidla. After that, he worked in the private sector.[6]

Prime Minister

President Miloš Zeman appointed Rusnok as Prime Minister of a caretaker government in June 2013 in a move that was criticized by political parties in the Czech Republic. It was called irresponsible by the parties of the former coalition government (ODS and TOP 09),[7] while the opposition (ČSSD) called for early elections.[8][9]

On 7 August 2013, Chamber of Deputies denied support[why?] to the caretaker government of Rusnok. His cabinet got support of 93 legislators, compared to 100 against, while seven legislators abstained. A majority of voting legislators was required. Following the vote, TOP 09 stated that due to a lack of support for a potential renewed ODS-TOP 09-LIDEM government, they would instead support an early election. The ČSSD and KSČM also supported an early election.[10][11] In reaction, Rusnok signaled his intention to resign the next day: "I think this result is positive, as far as further political development in our country is concerned. It will lead to the dissolution of the parliament."[12]

Governor of the Czech National Bank

In 2014, Zeman appointed Rusnok to the seven-member board of the Czech National Bank, replacing Eva Zamrazilová [cs].[13] In 2016, he succeeded Miroslav Singer as the bank’s governor, again following an appointment by Zeman.[14] In 2022, Zeman appointed Aleš Michl [cs] as Rusnok's successor.[4]

Other activities

Political position

Rusnok supports moving the Czech Republic closer to adopting the euro. In 2014, he also backed the central bank’s policy of weakening the Czech koruna to fight deflation risks and help an economy recovering from a record-long recession.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ Willoughby, Ian (25 June 2013). "President Zeman appoints Rusnok as caretaker prime minister". Czech Radio. Retrieved 25 June 2013.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Jiri Rusnok appointed as new Czech prime minister". BBC. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Obserwator Finansowy: Ekonomia, debata, Polska, świat".
  4. ^ a b "President appoints Aleš Michl central bank chief". Czech Radio. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  5. ^ Marešová, Gabriela (25 June 2013). "Jiří Rusnok: Uznávaný ekonom, který hlasitě podporoval Miloše Zemana". Hospodářské noviny (in Czech). iHNED. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  6. ^ a b Jiřička, Jan (25 June 2013). "Premiér Rusnok: dvojnásobný ministr, člen NERV i podporovatel Klause". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). iDNES. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Vládu sestaví ekonom Rusnok, rozhodl Zeman" (in Czech). Czech Television. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Czech president picks Rusnok as premier in showdown with parties". Reuters. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  9. ^ "Mé další kroky musí vést ke zklidnění, žádné tsunami, řekl Zeman". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). iDNES. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Rusnokova vláda nezískala důvěru" (in Czech). Novinky.cz. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  11. ^ Novák, Jakub (7 August 2013). "Online: 100 proti 93, Rusnok důvěru nezískal". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  12. ^ "Early elections expected after Czech PM loses confidence vote". Archived from the original on 2013-08-13. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  13. ^ a b Muller, Robert (5 February 2014). "Czech president appoints former PM Rusnok to central bank board". Reuters.
  14. ^ M. Sobczyk, Martin (25 May 2016). "Former Czech Prime Minister Appointed Central Bank Governor". Wall Street Journal.
  15. ^ Members European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB).
  16. ^ Members International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Political offices
Preceded by
Pavel Mertlík
Minister of Finance
2001–2002
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Miroslav Grégr
Minister of Industry and Trade
2002–2003
Succeeded by
Milan Urban
Preceded by Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
2013–2014
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Governor of the Czech National Bank
2016–2022
Succeeded by
Aleš Michl
  • v
  • t
  • e
Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia (1939–1945)
Emblem of the Government of the Czech Republic
Emblem of the Government of the Czech Republic
Czech Socialist Republic (1969–1990)
Czech Federative Republic (1990–1992)
Czech Republic (1993–present)
  • v
  • t
  • e
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Finance
  • Jan Fischer
Jiří Rusnok
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of the Interior
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Defence
Minister of Justice
Chairperson of the Government Legislative Council
Minister of Industry and Trade
  • Jiří Cieńciała
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
  • František Koníček
Minister of Transportation
  • Zdeněk Žák
Minister of Agriculture
  • Miroslav Toman
Minister of Health
Minister of Education, Youth and Sport
  • Dalibor Štys
Minister of Environment
  • Tomáš Podivínský
Minister of Culture
  • Jiří Balvín
Minister for Regional Development
  • František Lukl
  • v
  • t
  • e
Minister of Interior
Deputy Prime minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Deputy Prime minister
Deputy Prime minister
Minister for Science and Research, Human rights and resources
  • Petr Mareš
Minister of Finance
Minister of Labour and social affairs
Minister of Justice
Minister of Transportation
  • Milan Šimonovský
Minister of Regional development
  • Pavel Němec
Minister of the Environment
  • Libor Ambrozek
Minister of Informatics
  • Vladimír Mlynář
Minister of Industry and Trade
  • Jiří Rusnok
  • Milan Urban
Minister of Health
  • Marie Součková
  • Jozef Kubinyi
Minister of Agriculture
  • Jaroslav Palas
Minister of Culture
Minister of Defence
Minister of Education, Youth and Physical training
  • v
  • t
  • e
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
Deputy Prime minister
Minister of Industry and Trade
Deputy Prime minister
  • Miroslav Grégr
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Deputy Prime minister
Minister of coordinating foreign, interior and defense
Deputy Prime minister
Deputy Prime minister
  • Pavel Mertlík
Chairman of the Government Legislative Council
Deputy Prime minister
Minister of Justice
Minister for Regional Development
  • Jaromír Císař
  • Petr Lachnit
Minister of Health
Minister of Culture
Minister for the Interior
Minister of Environment
  • Miloš Kužvart
Minister of Transport
  • Antonín Peltrám
  • Jaromír Schling
Minister of Finance
  • Ivo Svoboda
  • Pavel Mertlík
  • Jiří Rusnok
Minister of Defence
Minister of Education
Minister of Agriculture
  • Jan Fencl
Minister without Portfolio
  • v
  • t
  • e
Ministers of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
Coat of arms of the Czech Republic
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
International
  • VIAF
National
  • Germany
  • Czech Republic