German Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) has denied all allegations in the parliamentary committee on the nuclear phase-out. According to him, the continued operation of the remaining nuclear power plants was assessed without “ideological preconceptions” and “resultless” three years ago. “There were no thought barriers” Habeck said on Thursday. The Chancellor’s decisive word was necessary at the time, he added, because the FDP had insisted on the maximum demand of revoking the nuclear phase-out for “ideological reasons”.
After his questioning in the committee, the Minister stated in a press conference in Berlin on Thursday evening that he hopes “that the clarification and understanding are now grown”. “I think it has become clear that the BMWK and I, even before the Russian invasion, did everything possible to ensure that Germany can safely get through a threatening time” he said.
“We have initiated a trend reversal and transformed the laissez-faire of the old federal government into a preventive policy” Habeck added. “This has affected all possible areas of energy supply, including fossil energies.” In response to the committee’s question about whether he had not thought about climate protection, Habeck said he considered it “secondary” because everything had been done to ensure “Germany’s safety during this crisis”.