Governance

Governor and Governing Board

The decision-making bodies of Banka Slovenije are the Governor of Banka Slovenije and the Governing Board of Banka Slovenije.

The Governor of Banka Slovenije:

  • directs the business, organises the work, and acts as the Banka Slovenije’s statutory representative,
  • carries out the decisions taken by the Governing Board, and issues individual and general Banka Slovenije bylaws that do not fall under the remit of the Governing Board, and
  • issues guidelines for implementing Governing Board resolutions and regulations.

The Governing Board of Banka Slovenije, which comprises five members (the governor and four vice-governors):

  • decides on matters that according to the Banka Slovenije Act and other laws lie within the powers and responsibilities of Banka Slovenije,
  • proposes the external auditor,
  • regulates the employment-related rights and obligations of members of the Governing Board,
  • determines whether membership of the Governing Board is compatible with other functions, and
  • takes positions on Banka Slovenije’s internal administrative matters.

The governor’s central advisory board is an expert advisory body that meets as required. It consists of the governor, the vice-governors and the secretary general. The directors also regularly join the meetings of the advisory body.
 

Committees

The committees represent a form of collaboration between the departments and the decision-making bodies (via the vice-governors’ membership of the committees), which aims at supporting the performance of the duties of Banka Slovenije bodies in a particular area as defined by law. The objectives pursued by the committees are in line with the Banka Slovenije’s strategy. The committees provide for comprehensive discussion of the area in question, assess the strategic and other long-term aspects of the area of work, provide a platform for the exchange of opinions and information in the area of work between various departments, discuss proposals received from the departments and the initiatives of committee members relating to the area in question, and provide their own opinions with regard to material for the decision-making bodies.

The committees each consist of two members of the Governing Board and two executive directors. Currently the following committees operate at Banka Slovenije:

  • the Monetary Policy Committee
  • the Supervision Committee
  • the Risk Committee
  • the Investment Committee

 

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee’s mission is to improve governance at Banka Slovenije by means of additional audit oversight alongside internal and external auditing.

The Audit Committee consists of Deputy Governor, one representative of the Governing Board of Banka Slovenije and two external experts. It functions as a consultative body to the Governing Board. It formulates opinions and advice to aid the Governing Board in making decisions with regard to:

  • ensuring that the financial statements are faultless,
  • supervising internal controls and risk management,
  • ensuring the functioning of auditing at Banka Slovenije, and
  • ensuring compliance with legislation, guidelines, the code of ethics and other bylaws.

The Audit Committee met seven times in 2016. It discussed the external auditor’s report on the audited financial statements, and proposed them to the Governing Board for adoption. It also monitored the implementation of internal audit recommendations, thereby contributing to risk management.

 

External auditor

The Banka Slovenije’s financial statements are audited by an independent international auditor selected for a three-year period (Article 52 of the Banka Slovenije Act) in accordance with Article 27(1) of the Statute of the ESCB and of the ECB, which stipulates that the accounts of the ECB and national central banks are audited by independent external auditors recommended by the Governing Council and approved by the Council. The auditors are authorised to inspect all the accounts and books of account of the ECB and the national central banks, and to obtain complete information about their operations. The Governing Board of Banka Slovenije selects and proposes a candidate to go forward to the final selection procedure following the prior collection of tenders at least six months before the expiry of the contract signed with the previous auditor.

 

Internal Audit Department

The Internal Audit Department, which answers directly to the governor, provides independent assurances of the suitability and effectiveness of the governance process, risk management processes and internal control systems, and assurances of compliance. In ensuring that the Banka Slovenije’s financial statements are faultless and that the internal audit function is effective, the Governing Board is advised by the Audit Committee, which also provides opinions to assist it.

Audit Charter for the Eurosystem/ESCB and the Single Supervisory Mechanism

 

Ethics framework

In the exercise of its public powers and tasks as set out by the Banka Slovenije Act and the Statute of the ESCB and of the ECB, Banka Slovenije endeavours to uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct on the part of its staff, in accordance with the common guidelines and values established within the framework of the ESCB and the ECB. Banka Slovenije sets out rules of ethical conduct for its staff to ensure the highest levels of independence, objectivity, honesty and transparency in their conduct. Upholding these rules is an essential prerequisite for building and maintaining the public’s trust in the sound governance of Banka Slovenije in carrying out its duties.

Code of Ethics of the Banka Slovenije

Foreign Exchange Global Code of Conduct

 

Calendars of the Banka Slovenije Board Members

Banka Slovenije publishes the meeting calendars of Banka Slovenije Board Members, acting in their capacity as governor or vice-governor of Banka Slovenije or in their capacity as members of ECB high level bodies. Meeting calendars are published with a time lag of about three months.

Calendars include information on public and non public meetings and events attended by individual member, interacting with external parties (public and private institutions and individuals), as well as their participation on Banka Slovenije Board meetings, meetings of high level bodies of the ECB and other institutional meetings of EU or other international institutions. However, internal Eurosystem meetings are not published (i.e. meetings with representatives of ECB or other Eurosystem national central banks and national competent authorities responsible for supervision of credit institutions are considered internal).

Public calendars shall include information on the date, name of participants/organizers, topic and location of the meeting/event, unless such publication could jeopardize the protection of confidentiality recognised by the law or undermine the public interest.

Governor Boštjan Vasle: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Deputy Governor Primož Dolenc: 2022, 2023

Vice Governor Tina Žumer: 2021, 2022, 2023

Vice Governor Milan Martin Cvikl: 2022, 2023

Vice Governor Marko Pahor: 2023

Vice Governor Jožef Bradeško (on position to 28. 2. 2023): 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Vice Governor Irena Vodopivec Jean (on position to 31. 7. 2022): 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Vice Governor Primož Dolenc (on position to 5. 4. 2022): 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022