MAGDEBURG (dpa-AFX) - Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) has defended the nuclear phase-out in Germany. All democratic parties had decided to phase out nuclear power, Lemke said on Saturday at a state party conference of the Saxony-Anhalt Greens in Magdeburg. The CDU and CSU would have to clarify for themselves whether they really wanted to argue for a return to nuclear power in Germany, said Lemke. "The traffic light coalition does not want to get back into nuclear power. It's too expensive, it takes too long and it's too risky."

In Magdeburg, the Federal Environment Minister also commented on accusations that had arisen in the context of the nuclear phase-out. The controversy was triggered by a report in the magazine "Cicero", according to which internal concerns about the nuclear phase-out planned for the following year were allegedly suppressed in both the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment in spring 2022 - something both ministries deny. A journalist fought for the release of the files in court - and received two thick files. Until then, the Ministry of Economic Affairs had only handed over some of the requested documents and justified this with the confidentiality of the discussions.

There are no secret files, said Lemke in Magdeburg. The debate had been conducted democratically and openly for months. There was nothing to keep secret, said Lemke./cki/DP/mis