Country Status Remains Unknown as Commission Awaits Information
In a heated exchange during the federal election campaign, Green state parliamentarian Martin Stumpfig has accused CSU leader Markus Söder of knowingly telling lies about the reactivation of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant.
The Bavarian state government, however, asserts its own expertise on nuclear power plants, with specialists in Bavarian authorities and ministries, particularly the Environmental Ministry. Yet, the identities of the "technical experts" Söder referred to in relation to the reactivation of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant remain undisclosed, due to the sensitive nature of energy security and political considerations amid geopolitical tensions, as well as the complexity of nuclear expertise which often involves confidential assessments by specialists with security clearances.
Stumpfig has called for a clarification of the facts, and the accusations are based on Söder's statements about unnamed "technical experts." The state government's answers merely referred to "comprehensive insights" and experiences with the nuclear power plant Isar 2 and its shutdowns and dismantling.
The CSU had made the reactivation of nuclear power plants a key issue in the election campaign, but was unable to push this point through in the coalition negotiations with the Union and SPD. Despite numerous inquiries, no names of these experts have been identified. An inquiry to Söder's state chancellery did not provide any new insights on the matter.
It has been reported that the reactivation of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant was not achieved in the coalition negotiations. The ministry responsible for nuclear power plants could not name any expert in any of the inquiries. A study made no statements about the reactivation of a shut-down and partially dismantled reactor. Instead, it referred to a study by TÜV Süd, which was completed in April 2022, almost three years before Söder's statement.
Söder claimed that the reactivation of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant was "possible at any time this year and next." However, Stumpfig believes Söder's credibility has been severely damaged, stating that lying through one's teeth and then claiming not to know anything about it is not worthy of the office. He interprets this as evidence that Söder's experts "simply did not exist."
Trust has been severely damaged, and deceived voters may drift to the edges. The statement by Söder about the reactivation of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant was made twelve days before a federal election, adding fuel to the controversy. No further documents on this topic are available at this time.
In light of the ongoing debate about the reactivation of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant,it's crucial to apply policy-and-legislation to ensure transparency in politics and general-news. The lack of disclosure regarding Söder's "technical experts" raises questions about the honesty of his statements, potentially damaging public trust and leading to a shift in voter allegiance due to the political implications.
