Athens bans protests as Greece hosts EU meeting

Greek police have banned protests in central Athens ahead of a meeting of EU finance ministers in the capital.

Demonstrators will be barred from areas including Syntagma Square, the focus of recent anti-austerity protests.

EU finance ministers are expected to sign off the next instalment of Greece's bailout when they meet in the city later.

Greece, the current chair of the EU presidency, continues to struggle with high debt and unemployment

Discussions at Tuesday and Wednesday's meetings will include Greece's austerity programme and market reforms demanded under the terms of its international bailouts.

The meeting comes at a time of renewed confidence in Greece as the country's economy looks to be recovering

Greece has wiped out its deficit, except for interest on its debt, and is forecast to exit six years of recession this year, our correspondent says.

But unions and left-wing groups had called for mass protests on Tuesday.

They say people are still suffering under the austerity measures implemented under the bailout terms.

Unemployment is running at 27%, and many Greeks are still feeling the effects of tax rises and spending cuts.

It is unclear whether protesters will attempt to enter prohibited areas and try to reach Syntagma Square outside parliament, which has become the customary focus for rallies.

Athens has enforced protests bans in the past, including when German Chancellor Angela Merkel made high-profile visits.