BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has rejected the proposal by Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) to transfer responsibility for nuclear power to the federal states. “It is downright depressing how a prime minister so carelessly ignores licensing and constitutional issues and aspects of nuclear safety,” said the Greens politician to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Monday). “According to the Basic Law, responsibility for nuclear power lies with the federal government. That’s why the states can only monitor nuclear power plants on behalf of the federal government,” Lemke made clear.
The last three remaining German nuclear power plants were shut down late on Saturday evening, including Isar 2 in Bavaria. In the “Bild am Sonntag”, Söder then called for the Atomic Energy Act to be changed again and for the federal states to be given responsibility so that Bavaria can continue to operate the reactor on its own.
The Environment Minister emphasized that the power operation license for the Isar 2 kiln near Landshut expired on April 16. “Even if you want to bring the reactor back online, as Mr. Söder obviously wants, it is not enough to legally grant it a new term. It would require a new license for the reactor.” Söder is trying to give the impression that the dismantling of the nuclear power plants can be delayed “against the interests of radiation protection”. That is incompatible with the law.
Former Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin (Greens) told the “Welt” (Monday) about the CSU boss’s advance that Söder “threw himself behind a crazy train with a big gesture”. According to the Basic Law, the responsibility for nuclear energy lies with the federal government, the states only carry this out on behalf of the federal government. “That also applies to Bavaria, even during election campaigns,” emphasized Trittin./shy/DP/he