French Prime Minister’s Holiday Paid for by Egyptian Government

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has urged government ministers to vacation in France, after his own prime minister came under fire for taking a family holiday paid for by Egypt’s government, The Washington Post reports, citing AP.

Sarkozy says ministers seeking to take holidays paid by foreign governments will now need approval – from the prime minister.

Sarkozy’s statement Wednesday came after Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Tuesday that the Egyptian government offered his family a Christmas vacation. The trip came weeks before the outbreak of ongoing, anti-government protests in Egypt.

Another French minister, Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, has acknowledged vacationing in Tunisia during popular protests there in December that toppled the country’s long-standing dictator.