萨科齐要求官员在国内度假

法国总理和外长日前陷入北非国家免费度假丑闻，致使萨科奇政敌借机对其提出批评。为了避免类似事件，法国总统萨科齐要求内阁部长们在国内度假。

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has ordered his ministers to stay in France on holiday to avoid diplomatic gaffes¹（过失，失礼） after scandals over hospitality from North African leaders.

Sarkozy bowed to criticism from rivals after embarrassing revelations that his prime minister and foreign minister accepted free holiday flights in Egypt and Tunisia, shortly before popular uprisings in both countries.

"From now on, members of the government must prefer France for their holidays," President Nicolas Sarkozy told a cabinet meeting, according to a transcript²（抄本，副本） released by his office.

"It is imperative³（必要的） that we promote the spread of a true culture of ethics⁴ in French public life," Sarkozy said, in a statement that appeared to acknowledge a shift away from a traditional deference⁵ to French leaders.

"What was common a few years ago can shock nowadays. So it must be strictly⁶ monitored," Sarkozy said. "Citizens' expectations are higher and they are legitimate⁷."

Prime Minister Francois Fillon on Tuesday admitted that he had a New Year family holiday on the Nile paid for by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie had faced calls to resign after she admitted using a private plane owned by a Tunisian businessman who was alleged⁸ to have ties to the regime of the country's ousted⁹ dictator（独裁者，命令者） .

Under the new rules for ministers, "invitations accepted abroad will be authorised by the prime minister and the presidential diplomatic unit... to see whether they are compatible with France's foreign policy," Sarkozy said.

It made no mention of whether the rules would also apply to the French president.

Some government allies had rejected the uproar¹⁰（骚动，喧嚣） by their opponents over the holidays, but Tuesday's revelation by Fillon raised broader laments¹¹ over government ethics.

"A minister sees nothing abnormal in using an oligarch's plane or having his holidays paid for by a dictator. That's the most serious thing," Jean-Louis Roumegas, spokesman for the minority green coalition¹², said in a statement.

"The crumbling¹³（破碎，皱纹） of the public spirit has reached the very top of the state," said Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Socialist¹⁴ parliamentary leader who had led calls for Alliot-Marie to resign. He called for a law to curb¹⁵ conflicts of interest.

Fillon promptly¹⁶ told the cabinet that such a bill would be "in the coming weeks," a government statement said after the meeting. "The prevention of conflicts of interest will be strengthened."