**The verdict on the Greek government’s plans for balancing the country’s finances will be confirmed later by the European Commission.**Commission President Barroso has already endorsed the programme, calling it “ambitious” but “subject to risks”.
Greece’s deficit of 12.7% of gross domestic product is more than four times higher than eurozone rules allow.
Prime Minister George Papandreou has announced tough austerity measures, including a public sector pay freeze.
In a televised address on Tuesday, he urged the public to support the programme.
However, public sector workers are planning a strike next week.
The BBC’s Europe correspondent, Johnny Dymond, says strong words are expected about the continuation of monitoring and the need for implementation of tough decisions.
Fear of contagion
Greece is struggling with its worst economic crisis since joining the euro in 2001.
It has one of the smaller economies in the European Union, but it is being watched closely because of the doubts financial markets have in it.
“The envisaged correction of the deficit is feasible but subject to risks”
Jose Manuel Barroso
European Commission President
Its long-term deficit cutting plan aims to reduce the budget shortfall to less than 3% by 2012, but many people in Brussels and beyond remain sceptical.
There are other bigger economies in the eurozone that face the same deficit problems and the fear of contagion is high, says the BBC’s Johnny Dymond.
Misreporting
“Austerity will be a hard sell - many on the left will fight cuts and wage freezes”
Gavin Hewitt
BBC Europe editor
On Tuesday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the size of Greece’s deficit in 2009 came as “a surprise to us all”.
“Such deficit results from a combination of budgetary slippage with statistical misreporting. A deficit of such a magnitude must be decisively corrected,” he said.
"The envisaged correction of the deficit is feasible but subject to risks. Provided such risks will not be allowed to materialise through the timely implementation of corrective measures the deficit will indeed be corrected.
“We believe this will be done. The Greek government is committed to take such measures.”
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