French President Francois Hollande defended himself on Thursday after he was criticized for having hired a personal hairdresser with a gross salary of 9,895 euros ($10,099) a month, noting that he has reduced the costs of the presidency as well as his salary by 30 percent since he came to the Elysee in May 2012.

On the occasion of the French National Day, Hollande was asked about the barber, whose hiring costs was revealed last Tuesday, as the French leader explained that the Elysee budget, which was 109 million euros ($121.1 million) in 2012 under his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy, has dropped to 100 million ($111.1 million) annually under his rule.

Hollande added that he decided to cut off the salary by 30 percent, and thus, he is ready to take the blame for anything, except for this. EFE

State of Emergency in France to be Lifted Soon

In other news from France, President Hollande said on Thursday that the national state of emergency, declared following the November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, is due to be lifted by July 26.

On November 13, 2015, 130 people were killed during several mass-shootings and bombings carried out across Paris, by Islamic State attackers.

In a televised interview on Thursday, Hollande said the state of emergency cannot continue forever, but added that it does not mean the threat of terrorism has abated.

Hollande said the threat of violent Islamic fundamentalism is a common enemy for people in Iraq, Syria as well as in Europe.

Hollande said on Wednesday that he planned to reinforce France’s military presence in Iraq by sending advisers to aid the Iraqi Army in their attempts to recapture Islamic Stata held Mosul.

The president said the approval of a new law last month, which aims to tackle terrorist threats, obviated the need for a state of emergency.

He added that Operation Sentinelle, in which up to 10,000 soldiers were mobilized across the nation after the Paris attacks, is due be downgraded after once 2016 Tour de France has ended.

Hollande spent Thursday morning at the Bastille Day military parades.

The annual event marks the 1789 Revolution that overthrew the monarchy and gave birth to the modern Republic.

Several thousand French soldiers took part in the parade, as well as representatives from Australia and New Zealand.