Brussels 03/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - Commission Spokesperson for Economic and Monetary Affairs Joaquin Almunia on Friday described to the press as “wild imaginings” claims made by Italian Employment Minister Roberto Maroni, who had said in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica that the Euro might be abandoned. “The Euro is forever”, she said of the Commission's decision to update the characteristics of national Euro coins (see other article). Saying that she did not wish to “add to the general cacophony”, she refused to comment further on criticism of the single currency, blamed by some for the failure of the referendum in the Netherlands and, above all, for the sluggishness of some economies. Whilst the President of the European Central Bank on Thursday said that the idea of EMU failing was “absurd” (EUROPE 8960), the Italian Northern League minister held Jean-Claude Trichet responsible “for the disaster that is the Euro” and suggested a temporary reintroduction of the Lira. Italians should, he said, be given the opportunity to vote in a referendum on whether to keep the Euro. “The fall in the Euro is marked by insecurity over the European project, the Euro is moving towards levels that do not reflect economic reality”, said Jean-Claude Juncker, quoted in AFP at Friday's refendum campaign launch in Luxembourg.