With fuel prices on international markets continuing to set record highs, the Development Ministry has drawn up an emergency plan which foresees gasoline rationing and lower car usage in the event that the country experiences problems in its energy supplies.

Ministry sources said that if there is a serious problem with fuel reaching drivers then the country can fall back on the plan, which initially foresees an advertising campaign aimed at getting consumers to leave their cars at home. This will then be followed by the forced reduction of gasoline consumption by issuing drivers with tokens that can be exchanged at gas stations. The last part of the plan includes a reduction in speed limits on the country's road network, allowing for more efficient gasoline consumption.

The sources stressed that these measures would only be adopted in an extreme case scenario and not just due to further hikes in energy costs.