Marek Belka
Encyclopedia
Marek Marian Belka (ˈmarɛk ˈbɛlka; b. 9 January 1952 in Łódź) is a Polish
professor of Economics, a former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Poland, former Director of the International Monetary Fund
's (IMF) European Department and current Head of National Bank of Poland
.
Belka graduated from the Socio-Economic Department of the University of Łódź in 1972 and later studied on scholarships at Columbia University
, University of Chicago
and London School of Economics
.
He holds an M.A. in economics of foreign trade and a PhD in economics from the University of Łódź. He became a professor in 1994.
From 1990 until 1996 he worked as consultant for the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Poland and the World Bank
. He served as Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Finance in 1997 and from 2001 to 2002; and as an economic consultant of the President of the Republic of Poland
in the meantime. He also served as Adviser to the Prime Minister of Albania from 1997 to 2001 and to JP Morgan for Central and Eastern Europe from 2002 to 2003. In 2003 he was responsible for economic policy in the interim coalition administration of Iraq
. In 2005 he was a candidate for the post of OECD Secretary General, but lost to José Ángel Gurría
.
He was designated Prime Minister of Poland by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski
on 29 March 2004 and sworn into office the next 2 May. He failed to receive the required parliamentary support on 14 May, but on 11 June he was designated again. On 24 June he finally managed to receive enough support in the Sejm
– the Lower House of Polish Parliament
– winning a vote of confidence by a majority of 235 votes to 215.
Belka joined the new liberal Democratic Party - demokraci.pl in May 2005, but was not chosen as an MP.
From 2006 to 2008, he was Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe(ECE).
In 2007, he was proposed by Poland as managing director of the IMF, but the European Union
(EU) finally decided to advance French former minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn
's candidacy.
On 15 July 2008, Mr. Strauss-Kahn named Marek Belka as Director of the IMF's European Department, a position Belka took up on 1 November 2008.
On 27 May 2010 Belka was nominated as the next President of the National Bank of Poland
by Acting President Bronisław Komorowski. On 10 June 2010, Marek Belka was approved by the Parliament (253 votes in favor; 184 against) as Head of National Bank of Poland.
Marek Belka is an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
professor of Economics, a former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Poland, former Director of the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
's (IMF) European Department and current Head of National Bank of Poland
National Bank of Poland
Narodowy Bank Polski is the central bank of Poland. It controls the issuing of Poland's currency, the złoty. The Bank is headquartered in Warsaw, and has branches in every major Polish town...
.
Biography
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
He holds an M.A. in economics of foreign trade and a PhD in economics from the University of Łódź. He became a professor in 1994.
From 1990 until 1996 he worked as consultant for the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Poland and the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
. He served as Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland is the deputy of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland and member of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland. He can also be one of the ministers of Poland.-People's Poland :...
and Minister of Finance in 1997 and from 2001 to 2002; and as an economic consultant of the President of the Republic of Poland
President of the Republic of Poland
The President of the Republic of Poland is the Polish head of state. His or her rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Poland....
in the meantime. He also served as Adviser to the Prime Minister of Albania from 1997 to 2001 and to JP Morgan for Central and Eastern Europe from 2002 to 2003. In 2003 he was responsible for economic policy in the interim coalition administration of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. In 2005 he was a candidate for the post of OECD Secretary General, but lost to José Ángel Gurría
José Ángel Gurría
José Ángel Gurría Treviño is a Mexican economist and diplomat. He is the current secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development since June 1, 2006....
.
He was designated Prime Minister of Poland by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski
Aleksander Kwasniewski
Aleksander Kwaśniewski is a Polish politician who served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005. He was born in Białogard, and during communist rule he was active in the Socialist Union of Polish Students and was the Minister for Sport in the communist government in the 1980s...
on 29 March 2004 and sworn into office the next 2 May. He failed to receive the required parliamentary support on 14 May, but on 11 June he was designated again. On 24 June he finally managed to receive enough support in the Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
– the Lower House of Polish Parliament
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
– winning a vote of confidence by a majority of 235 votes to 215.
Belka joined the new liberal Democratic Party - demokraci.pl in May 2005, but was not chosen as an MP.
From 2006 to 2008, he was Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe(ECE).
In 2007, he was proposed by Poland as managing director of the IMF, but the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) finally decided to advance French former minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Dominique Gaston André Strauss-Kahn , often referred to in the media, and by himself, as DSK, is a French economist, lawyer, politician, and member of the French Socialist Party...
's candidacy.
On 15 July 2008, Mr. Strauss-Kahn named Marek Belka as Director of the IMF's European Department, a position Belka took up on 1 November 2008.
On 27 May 2010 Belka was nominated as the next President of the National Bank of Poland
National Bank of Poland
Narodowy Bank Polski is the central bank of Poland. It controls the issuing of Poland's currency, the złoty. The Bank is headquartered in Warsaw, and has branches in every major Polish town...
by Acting President Bronisław Komorowski. On 10 June 2010, Marek Belka was approved by the Parliament (253 votes in favor; 184 against) as Head of National Bank of Poland.
Marek Belka is an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation is a non-governmental organization which researches Holocaust rescuers and advocates for their recognition. The organization developed educational programs for school to promote peace and civil service...
.