Peter Kažimír
Peter Kažimír | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 28, 1968 Košice, Slovakia |
| Occupation(s) | Economist, politician |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Known for | Governor of the National Bank of Slovakia; former Finance Minister of Slovakia |
Peter Kažimír (born 28 June 1968) is a Slovak economist and former political figure, currently holding the position of governor at the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS). He has previously served as the Finance Minister during the administrations of prime ministers Robert Fico and Peter Pellegrini. As a prominent member of the social-democratic party SMER-SD, he resigned from the party upon his appointment to lead the NBS.
Early life
Kažimír completed his studies in International Commerce at the University of Economics in Bratislava. Following graduation, he gained experience as a tax consultant at Schubert & partners and occupied executive board roles in various companies such as VIVANT, Sceptrum Brno, PARTA – GAS, MATTI, and DDP Credit Suisse Life & Pensions.
State Secretary and Member of Parliament
In 2006, Kažimír was named State Secretary within the Ministry of Finance and served on the supervisory board of the National Nuclear Fund for Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations (NJF). After SMER-SD lost the 2010 parliamentary elections, he briefly held a seat in parliament. Upon SMER-SD's return to government in 2012, Kažimír was appointed as Minister of Finance.
Finance Minister
During 2015, Kažimír was instrumental in attracting Jaguar Land Rover’s £1 billion manufacturing facility to Slovakia, successfully competing against offers from Poland and Mexico.
The Financial Times recognized Kažimír’s effective management of Slovakia’s fiscal policy, highlighting his achievements in maintaining budget discipline and his assertive approach during Eurozone discussions concerning Greece’s debt crisis.
In November 2017, Kažimír submitted his candidacy to replace Jeroen Dijsselbloem as Eurogroup chairman but withdrew after the initial voting round; Mário Centeno was ultimately elected.
Kažimír was accused of offering a €48,000 bribe to the head of the national tax authority between 2017 and 2018 in connection with a tax audit. Although initially exempted from trial by the supreme court, on May 29, 2025, he was convicted of bribery and ordered to pay a €200,000 fine.
Governorship of the Central Bank
In December 2019, the National Council confirmed Kažimír as the government’s candidate to replace Jozef Makúch as governor of the National Bank of Slovakia. He officially took office on 1 June 2019.
Roles in international institutions
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Ex-Officio Board of Governors member (2012–2019)
- Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), part of the World Bank Group, Ex-Officio Board of Governors member (2012–2019)
- World Bank, Ex-Officio Board of Governors member (2012–2019)
Personal life
Since 2008, Kažimír has been married to Katarína Korecká; they have two children together.
External links
- Peter Kažimír’s CV at Slovak Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava, Accessed March 24, 2013
- Na Telo (archived)