Greece's prime minister urged European leaders to shift economic policies toward generating growth, as the country's bailout monitors complained it was making "slow progress" on long-term reforms.

Antonis Samaras said Greece's recession was "worsening problems that we must solve and complicating reforms which we must complete." He said a Greek recovery would not be possible unless the 17-country eurozone bloc itself emerges from recession.

Samaras made the comments Monday after talks in Athens with Italian Premier Enrico Letta, who also appeared critical of how Greece's bailout was handled.

In a 234-page report released Monday, the European Commission said Greece was still lagging in its effort to reform public administration, its business, power utilities and its justice system.