France freezes presidential salary over deficitNovember 7, 2011 - 18:31 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said that the salaries of President Nicolas Sarkozy and his ministers would be frozen as part of austerity measures, calling on business leaders to do the same. "The salaries of members of the government and the president will be frozen until a return to a strict balancing of public finances," Fillon told journalists as he announced measures to eliminate France's deficit by 2016. "I call on political leaders and heads of big companies, particularly businesses in the CAC 40, to do exactly the same thing," Fillon said, referring to the Paris stock exchange's blue chip share index. "I call on everyone to show great responsibility," Fillon said, calling pay rises for some bosses "frankly indecent". Following his election, Sarkozy in 2007 raised his own salary 170 per cent from around 7,000 euros a month to around 19,000 euros, prompting a storm of criticism, AFP reported. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |