Portugal on Wednesday urged its international lenders to ease its 2014 budget deficit reduction target from 4 percent to 4.5 percent of GDP. During the latest review, \"the Portuguese government had argued for a 4.5 percent public deficit but the troika (EU, IMF and European Central Bank) had asked for 4 percent,\" Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas said. \"The government believes that the target it proposed remains more appropriate.\"