German Chancellor Olaf Schulz has predicted that measures against energy shortages will continue even after next winter, and his Economy Minister Robert Habeck has not ruled out an imminent "distress" in gas supplies during the winter.

"These days we are concerned with the security of our energy supplies," Schultz said, in a video message posted on Saturday. "It will be this way also in the coming weeks, months and years."

This is not Shultz's first warning, as on Monday he already called on his compatriots to prepare for a prolonged crisis caused by high energy prices.

Schulz stressed in his letter today, Saturday, that the German government has already taken many decisions within a short period of time so that Germany is well prepared for the shortage of energy, and said, "We build pipelines and liquefied gas stations. We are working to store gas in the tanks available to us, and we are also working to use Coal-fired power plants now so we can save gas."

On the other hand, Schultz explained that it is important in the long run to be independent from the import of oil, coal and gas, and to expand the share of renewable energy sources, and he said, "We are doing this through many of the laws issued this week," explaining that this is happening at a pace "we have not seen before in Germany." He pointed out that Germany "will be a climate-neutral country and an economically strong industrial nation."

In his letter, Schultz likened the current price hike to the inflation crisis that occurred in the sixties and seventies of the last century, and said that his government had put in place an aid package worth 30 billion euros to confront the crisis, explaining that this package includes canceling additional fees on electricity, a sharp reduction in the prices of public transportation tickets, and providing One-time benefits of €100 per child and €300 per income taxpayer.

impending ordeal

For his part, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck expected an imminent "trouble" in gas supplies during the coming winter, and said in statements to the German "Deutschlandfunk" radio station today, Saturday, in reference to the quantities of gas expected from Russia this year, "Everything is possible. Everything is possible. It could happen. The gas could flow again, even more than before. Nothing might come at all. And frankly we always have to prepare for the worst and work a little bit for the best case scenario."

Habek stated that providing gas, storing it and selling it by public auction for companies would prevent the occurrence of the "nightmare scenario" of lack of supplies.

The minister added that the occurrence of this scenario "would put Germany in a plight that it has not experienced for a long time... and this would bring social solidarity to its limits and perhaps to the point of stress."

Restrictions on the use of gas

Germany fears a shortage of Russian gas supplies, which it needs, whether to provide hot water for homes, heating offices, or even to operate traffic lights, and the whole country, starting with municipalities to major companies, is preparing for various types of restrictions on the use of gas.

The German government is on alert, with a fundamental entitlement approaching, which is the complete suspension of the gas pipeline "Nord Stream" due to routine maintenance.

The suspension is expected to last 10 days, but Germany fears that Russia will permanently cut off supplies through this pipeline, which secures a key part of its imports.

In recent weeks, Moscow reduced gas exports via Nord Stream by 60%, citing a technical problem, while Berlin condemned a "political" decision.

This slowed the process of reconstructing gas reserves, and Klaus Mueller, head of the Federal Network Agency, warned, "If we no longer receive gas supplies from Russia ... the quantities currently stored will only be enough for a month or two."

He called therefore to be proactive because consumers "will be shocked when they receive an email from their energy supplier" that includes a "3 times increase" in the bill.

At the beginning of June, Russian supplies constituted 35% of Germany's imports, compared to 55% before the war in Ukraine.

Gas still provides more than 50% of home heating.