22/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - In his end of year press conference, on Sunday, Silvio Berlusconi asserted that the rise in prices seen in Italy is due to the introduction of the Euro as decided by previous governments. I had warned of the negative consequences, he said, adding: due to the Euro, I argued with my aunt, who manages a theatre, and who wanted to round price upwards, to EUR 10, while I told her that she should have done so downwards… The President of the European Commission Romano Prodi reacted through the pages of Monday's Corriere della sera. Questioned, in Reggio Emilia, over the statements by Mr Berlusconi, Mr Prodi stated: it is time to put an end to these lies! He also insisted: prices have only risen in Italy. Why has this not happened in other countries? (…). In Italy monitoring failed, while it did not fail in Germany and France, for example.