国际英语新闻：Sarkozy calls on regional administrations to tighten budget

PARIS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on the regional administrations to tighten fiscal spending in a live interview with local television France 2 on Monday, suggesting that they follow the central government to reduce personnel of workers.

"We have aimed to cut 100,000 posts of public servants in three years," Sarkozy said referring to the central government, adding " within the 2011 budget, we will cancel about 34,000" jobs by controlling replacement of retiring workers.

He said it would make no sense if the regional governments continue to make loose of their public deficit while only the central government tighten its belt, calling on local authorities to take the responsibilities.

The French government has targeted to bring down the public deficit from the present 8 percent of the gross domestic product to 6 percent in 2011, and then 3 percent in 2013 in an effort to meet the limit of the European Union.

In previous announcements of measures to cut public spending, the president has made a similar call on regional budgets after publicly ordered his ministers to simplify their profligate lifestyle by slashing "unjustified or excessive expenses."

To achieve the fixed goal, the French government has to raise or save at least 40 billion euros (50 billion U.S. dollars) between 2010 and 2011, according to the calculation of Budget Minister Francois Baroin in a recent interview.

Prime Minister Fracois Fillon also announced a budget austerity of 100 billion euros (126 billion dollars) in three years.