The resignation of the president of the INE unleashes criticism of interference against the Government

The resignation, this Monday, of the president of the National Institute of Statistics (INE), Juan Manuel Rodriguez de Pooamid tensions with the Government related to the calculation of the GDP and the CPI, has unleashed criticism from officials and the political opposition against the Executive, whom they accuse of interference and to damage the reputation and the image of independence of the public body, which depends on the Ministry of Economy.

From the department headed by the vice president Nadia CalvinoHowever, it is categorically denied that there was pressure to force the resignation of the president of the INE. They point out that Rodríguez de Poo already communicated “long ago” his willingness to leave the position (for which he was appointed in 2018) and add that the Government is offering the former president of the INE the possibility of continuing to collaborate with Economy as an advisor, or some other institutional figure. Economy plans to complete “in the coming weeks” the process of appointing a new president, for which they assure that different profiles are being evaluated.

Association of Statisticians

does not have the same impression Association of Senior State Statisticians (Aese), from where it is emphasized that in the more than 30 years of validity of the Law of Public Statistical Function, no president of the INE was dismissed or invited to resign “without mediating a change of government”. For this professional association, integrated in the Federation of Associations of Higher Bodies of the General Administration of the State (Fedeca), constitutes “what is an unprecedented novelty, is that from the Government itself and, in particular from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, the INE Statistics figures as relevant as the CPI or the GDPannouncing months ago from the Ministry itself the creation of an unofficial statistic (given that it is not included in the National Statistical Plan) called ‘Daily Activity Indicator’ to contrast it with GDP itself,” Aese said in a statement.

A few hours before Rodríguez de Poo’s resignation “for personal reasons” became known, when rumors of his departure were growing, this professional association warned that “an eventual dismissal of the president of the INE -which did not take place- could be interpreted by society as an attack on the independence of the Institutemotivated by the fact that the figures published by the INE of some relevant statistics such as those mentioned above, are not in tune with the Government’s economic forecasts”. For these officials, what is at risk is “the high credit of which At the moment, the official statistics of Spain are enjoyed, both before our partners in the European Union and before the users themselves”.

The Union CSIF, For its part, it demands from the Government “explanations on the reasons that have motivated” the resignation of the president of Rodríguez Poo, communicated on Monday night. CSIF regrets “the circumstances that have led to the resignation of the position”, after rumors of a dismissal by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and expresses its support for the staff of the INE, “an organization that in its history has had an impeccable image and credibility” and points out that the criticism “lacking objectivity” from the Government affects the public system. The union defends “the impartiality and transparency of the body in the collection of data and its absolute independence from any Government.”

Feijóo’s review

From the opposition, the leader of the PP, Alberto Nunez Feijoo speaks directly of “cessation” (and not, of resignation) and considers that it is a “mistake” and “bad news” for the “credibility”, “reliability” and “reputation” of Spain, especially when the Spanish statistics “they are well done” and with “the appropriate methodology”. “Seeing how the director of the INE is dismissed because the Government does not agree with the official statistics on economic growth and inflation is undoubtedly a mistake that affects the credibility, reliability and reputation of the Kingdom of Spain” , warned Feijóo during his speech at the summer course organized by the Association of Self-Employed Workers (ATA).

The Popular Group has announced that it will request that Vice President Nadia Calviño appear in the Congress of Deputies to give explanations regarding the resignation of the president of the INE.

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For his part, the MEP Luis Garicano, from Ciudadanos, has raised a parliamentary question to the European Commission by urgent means, regarding the resignation of the president of the INE, which, from his point of view, constitutes “an outrage that violates the European rules”.

Independence

On his arrival at the forum organized by ATA, the president of CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, also intervened in the controversy: “I cannot go into why or how the resignation of the president of the INE is, but in any case I do claim and defend the independence of the body. I think it is fundamental, it is a highly prestigious body, always It has been and it is very important for everyone, to analyze the issues”. The president of the businessmen stressed that the CEOE has given its “explicit support” to the Bank of Spain and its governor, Pablo Hernandez de Kos-a body that in recent weeks has been the object of criticism by Minister José Luis Escrivá-, as well as the Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility of Spain (AIReF) and its president, Cristina Herrero Sanchez.