The following are comments by European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia at a news conference on Wednesday.

He was speaking after the European Commission published recommendations on how and by when Greece should reduce its budget deficit below the European Union's ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product.

The most recent comments are at the top.

"All the measures that have been included ... to be adopted in 2010, should be adopted as urgently as possible. We would like to increase day after day the credibility that the target for 2010 will be achieved."