The Industry and Trade Ministry has initiated talks with TAL, which operates a pipeline from Italy to Germany, about supplying the country with oil in the event that Russia should unexpectedly halt its deliveries, Minister Martin Říman told reporters Jan. 12.

The announcement came less than a week after what Říman called a "minicrisis" between Russia and Belarus.

Russia more than doubled its gas prices to Belarus and added a tariff on oil. Belarus responded with a transit fee on shipments through the Russian-owned Druzhba pipeline, which passes through Belarus and supplies Western and Central Europe.

Oil deliveries to the Czech Republic from Russia fell by more than half by Jan. 9 and forced the country to tap into its reserves, which are good for about 100 days.

"This is exclusively an alternative in case the Druzhba pipeline supply gets cut off," he said. "We would like to have the ability to cover the needs of the entire country should any such situation arise in the future."

Russia has been willing to use fuel pricing and delivery as a way of strong-arming the former Soviet states into capitulation. The recent dispute echoed last year's feud between Russia and Ukraine over gas shipments to Ukraine.

This crisis came even as domestic oil demand increases. The Czech Republic imported a record 8 million metric tons (8.8 million short tons) of crude oil in 2006, more than two-thirds of which came from Russia, according to the state-owned Mero, which operates all Czech pipelines.

Ships bring the rest to Trieste, Italy, feeding the TAL — or transalpine pipeline — and the German IKL pipeline on its way to the Czech Republic.

Říman's decision to seek a new contingency plan is a vote of no confidence on the country's current plan. In case of emergency, the Czech supplies would now come from the Mediterranean through the French SPSE pipeline.

The Czech Republic could easily explode with panic, he wrote in an editorial for the daily Hospodářské noviny Jan. 15.

"It is enough for Czechs to see longer lines at the gas station for hysteria to strike us," he said. "This is the biggest issue I am concerned about."