Greece: Athens faces moment of truth, EU's Barroso says

21 June 2011 Last updated at 16:22 ET Help

Greece faces a "moment of truth" as the government battles to win support for austerity measures, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said.

A vote of confidence late on Tuesday is a first step towards a vital 12bn euro ($17bn; £10bn) loan from the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Greece needs the loan to pay its debts.

If the government survives the vote, Greece's parliament will be asked to back the latest spending cuts - worth 28bn euro - on 28 June.

The EU and IMF will only release funds once the austerity measures have been voted through.

Gavin Hewitt reports.

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