EU Barroso: Debt Restructuring No Alterative To Tough Reforms 
 
        BRUSSELS (Dow Jones)--Euro-zone members in receipt of bailout funds  should face the realities of pushing through unpopular economic reforms  as adjusting the country's debt structure is not an option, EU  Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Wednesday. 
    "Debt restructuring could never be an alternative to the admittedly  painful reforms that need to be implemented," Barroso said at the  Brussels Economic Forum. "I would like to emphasise that for the member  state undertaking such a program, such adjustment is necessarily  painful." 
    EU finance ministers gathered here for the last two days, where they  unanimously approved a EUR78 billion bailout package for Portugal--and  also dismissed the option of debt restructuring for Greece. Still,  Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker mentioned "reprofiling", which is  a voluntary extension of loan maturities, as a possible option, should  Greece consistently fail to improve its fiscal position through budget  measures. Barroso stressed the country must stay the course, stressing  the importance of "consistency." 
    "To those who serve out the implementation of existing programs, it  doesn't help to come every day with new ideas," Barroso said.  "Assistance is given subject to implementation of a strict  conditionality program by the member state concerned." 
    The head of the EU's executive arm added that proposals to reform the  bloc's economic governance rule should be approved by the EU Parliament  and member states when they meet here next month, noting that it would  be important to enforce them properly. 
     "We've now learned, the hard way, that excessive deficits in one  member state can damage the euro zone and Europe as a whole," he said.