BERLIN, April 10. /TASS/. The hydrocarbon dependence on Russia should be overcome gradually, otherwise Germany will face negative implications, Prime Minister of Bavaria Markus Soeder said in an interviewed posted in newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe.

"I share the opinion of the federal government that we can go without oil and coal from Russia in the short term. It is much more difficult with gas. We should take into account consequences for the majority of the population," Soeder said.

"If we halt gas from Russia offhand, we will face mass unemployment, social slump and democratic disturbances, the Prime Minister said.

The operation of five nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Germany should be extended amid the challenging situation in the energy sphere, Soeder said.

"The shutdown of three operating NPPs by the year-end is a serious ideological error. They provide ten million households with electricity," Soeder said. "We should extend operation of five NPPs for five years more, so that we have enough time to implement goals in the green energy sphere," the official added.

Three out of six remaining nuclear power plants were disconnected from the network on January 1, 2022. Three remaining power plants are expected to be disconnected on the expiry of 2022.