HIGHLIGHTS-EU's Almunia on Greek budget plans

BRUSSELS Feb 3 (Reuters) - 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."

"These economies (Greece, Portugal and Spain) ... have a sizeable public deficit. The external financing needs are quite big. I think all of us, we are convinced with the experience of this crisis in particular, the euro area not only needs better surveillance but we also need broader surveillance. Because we need to better adjust our economies, not only from the fiscal point of view. This is what the G20 members of the European Union have agreed to do. What we have agreed at a global level needs to be done at a euro area level."

On Poland: "We consider, all in all, they adopted effective action. But even after these actions, the level of the public deficit ... is still quite high ... This requires some additional consolidation measures."

On Greece: "I am fully convinced that the European Union and euro area have instruments enough to deal with this issue and solve this problem (Greece)."

"It is not the first time we hear people expressing opinions against the single currency. I do think that for 11 years now we have been able to show monetary union is a major success."

"The important question to address is, how are we going to use these instruments? The European and economic union has to show solidarity ... The necessary measures have to be in place as soon as possible. It will have positive consequences for everybody who is in the same boat, if you like. One way of showing solidarity is to use the instruments properly."

"If in mid-2010 we can continue to give a positive assessment of this program, the markets will also share this positive assessment."

"We have a common responsibility ... We are doing what we should do, to support a program which is achievable. To use all the instruments of surveillance."

"If the programme is followed by decisions, by actions ... this will have a positive effect on the market. If decisions are not there, the markets will be putting additional pressure. I hope with this renewed commitment of the Greek authorities with the decisions ... adopted this morning ... to monitor very closely this programme... things will go in the good direction in the market and in the Greek society. The final beneficiaries ... of this programme are the Greek citizens."

"We have the markets. It is true that since the start of this financial crisis, the markets are putting pressure. The fact of the matter is that the markets are putting pressure. This is an element that should be taken into account in the way we communicate and adopt decisions."

"The difficulties that the Greek economy and European Union are facing come on the one hand from the reality of the Greek public finances. The imbalances are very big. Some realities have been disclosed in the last couple of months."

"There are other imbalances that should also be tackled. We mention the need in agreement with the Greek stability program ... the need of pension reform, the need of healthcare reform, the need of labour reform."

"The work that has to be done ... does not require additional comments. It is extremely challenging. It is urgent. We share this sense of urgency with the Greek government."

"This is a very tough system of monitoring. Part of the support should be given through peer pressure, through monitoring, because some of these measures are difficult to adopt from a political point of view."

"The second deadline for monitoring ... will take place on the 16th of May. Three months later (there will be) the council (EU ministers') decision. And from the 16th of May onwards, every three months this assessment exercise should take place."

"I hope that the Eurogroup and Ecofin will agree with our recommendations. The detailed list of measures will be monitored since day No 1 after the Ecofin. We have agreed today at (European) Commission level that the first deadline for the monitoring will take place one month after."

"We shared the ambition of the program. We consider that the program is ambitious, and that the program in terms of targets is achievable. We are endorsing the Greek program. But at the same time we know that the implementation of the program is not easy. It is difficult. This deserves support."

"If we consider that because of weak implementation of the measures, the objectives are not being achieved ... we will ask the Greek authorities to adopt additional measures to gain again credibility of the success of the program."