France hikes anti-terror budget despite austerity commitment

French prime minister Manuel Valls announced on 21 January 2015 a €735 million plan to bolster France's defences against terrorism over the following three years.

This would be a significant outlay at a time when France had committed to saving €50 billion between 2015 and 2017, in order to bring its excessive public deficit back below the eurozone's 3% GDP limit. The French government stated this unplanned expenditure would not threaten their agreement with Brussels to reduce the national deficit.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: France lowers deficit forecast, vows no new taxes http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-lowers-deficit-forecast-vows-no-new-taxes/

ESO: Background information: What now for France post-terror attacks? http://www.europeansources.info/record/what-now-for-france-post-terror-attacks/

The Guardian, 21.01.15: France boosts anti-terror measures in wake of Paris attacks http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/21/france-anti-terror-measures-paris-attacks-manuel-valls

France24, 21.01.15: French PM unveils package of anti-terror measures http://www.france24.com/en/20150121-france-pm-manuel-valls-unveils-new-anti-terror-measures/

BBC News, 21.01.15: France to receive 'massive' anti-terror boost http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30915153

The New York Times, 21.01.15: France Vows Forceful Measures Against Terrorism http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/22/world/europe/amedy-coulibaly-paris-gunman-france.html

RFI, 21.01.15: France to monitor 3,000 suspected jihadists, spend 735 million euros on anti-terror measures http://www.english.rfi.fr/europe/20150121-france-monitor-3000-suspected-jihadists-spend-735-million-euros-anti-terror-measures

France24, 09.04.15: Three months after Paris attacks, police working round the clock say they’re exhausted http://www.france24.com/en/20150408-paris-france-police-crs-attacks-exhausted-charlie-hebdo/

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