(CIANEWS) - The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic (MPO) is addressing the current situation of stopped oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline with all relevant partners. The situation was caused by the suspension of shipments from Russia via the southern branch of this pipeline, which also leads to Slovnaft in Slovakia and a refinery in Hungary. Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Síkela (STAN) said that the next days will show whether this is a further escalation of the energy war by Russia or a technical problem in payments. According to the MPO, the Czech Republic has strategic oil reserves for 90 days and is not going to activate them now. Approximately half of the Czech Republic's annual imports of up to 8 million tonnes of oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline. The other half is transported into the country via the IKL pipeline.