German economy minister denies suppressing nuclear phase-out concerns

Berlin, May 1 (IANS/DPA) German Economy Minister Robert Habeck has denied having suppressed concerns within government authorities during the decision-making process on the country's nuclear phase-out.

Nothing had been concealed in the debate about the nuclear phase-out, adding that all files would be made available to the responsible Bundestag committee, Habeck told the German TV programme Markus Lanz late on Tuesday.

In a piece published over the weekend, the magazine Cicero alleged that key government ministries sought to block the public release of internal reports raising concerns about the final shut-down of reactors and suggested that operations could be extended at some nuclear power plants.

Habeck and Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, both members of the Green Party, denied the allegations raised by the magazine and defended the handling of the nuclear phase-out at their ministries on Friday.

A Cicero journalist fought for the release of the files in court - and received two thick dossiers.

Until then, Habeck's ministry had only handed over part of the requested documents, justifying this with the confidentiality of the adviser's discussions.

Habeck said on the Markus Lanz programme that now that a court had clarified the matter, the files would be released.

The minister rejected the accusation that he would have proceeded differently had he read internal reports raising concerns about the final shut-down of reactors and suggesting that operations could be extended at some nuclear power plants.

The planned closure of Germany's final nuclear plants became a major political debate in 2022 since it came amid an energy crisis in Germany after Russia cut off shipments of natural gas.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ordered a brief temporary extension for the nuclear plants, which were eventually shut down in April 2023.