Did you notice that Western mass media insistently bring through the idea that the gas crisis between Ukraine and Russia force European energy producers to switching over to coal? If you take into consideration that currently coal is mainly mined in Poland, the suggestion that the "gas crisis" was inspire by Poland becomes less utopian (and this suggestion is often sounded in the net, indeed).

I dare say there is even some sort of logic in it. Just see, in the first step Ukraine spun out settlement of the problem on the spur of Poland, and made a row of it while the EU started to doubt transit capacity of Ukraine. Second step, Poland blazes rumors and suggestions to use alternative energy sources - coal, which implies purchasing coal from Poland, of course.

Before this nobody wanted to buy Polish coal - why, we've got Russian gas! But not after this winter's occurrence. That's very convenient for Poland, don't you think? As for Ukraine, it could sell its coal as well, but for one thing. President Yuschenko has already sighed a number of papers that form long-termed license of Polish companies to operate a few most promising Ukrainian coal productions. That's tough!