Brussels, 27/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - When asked about the words of former Commissioner Frits Bolkestein, who on Friday questioned the impact of demographic aging within the EU on the fate of the Euro, the spokesperson to the Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Joaquin Almunia, took pains to play down the issue. According to The Times, Mr Bolkestein said, at a meeting with Dutch entrepreneurs in London, that as far as he was concerned, the question of the Euro's long-term survival should be raised, because in 10 years, the increase in public expenditure due to the aging population and pension payments could threaten its very existence. The spokesperson to Joaquin Almunia, who criticised the British press in passing for playing up "innocent comments" on this subject, said: "the costs related to the ageing population will not affect us tomorrow, but very gradually", many reforms have been launched and these are continuing. She concluded enthusiastically: "the euro is forever".