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Prime Minister Söder (archive photo): No "total blockade" of Bavaria
Photo: Sammy_Minkoff / imago images / Sammy Minkoff
Where in Germany should nuclear waste be permanently stored?
The Federal Association for Final Storage (BGE) has made an initial pre-selection - and is thus met with massive criticism in the Bavarian government.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said that there will be "enormous uncertainty in the country" because of the large number of areas under discussion in almost all of Germany.
In Bavaria alone, around eight million people are affected by the search for a repository.
Specifically, he criticized the fact that the BGE had fundamentally excluded the salt dome near Gorleben as a repository location.
The reasons for this are not conclusive.
"That is a weakness of the argument," said Söder.
His Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber (Free Voters) questioned the entire procedure because of the "removal" of the Gorleben salt dome.
"The further process has a credibility problem without Gorleben," said Glauber.
In contrast, the former Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin (Greens) sees the credibility of the process strengthened by Gorleben's departure.
"The often criticized 'white map' as a starting point has proven itself", Trittin told the newspapers of the editorial network Germany.
Söder contradicted allegations that Bavaria wanted to evade the search for a repository.
His state government respects laws.
There is now "no total blockade" from Bavaria in the proceedings, but the Free State will "accompany the proceedings in a very constructive and critical manner".
To this end, he also wants to incorporate his own scientific expertise from Bavarian scientists into the decision-making process planned until 2031.
Söder said that no politically motivated decision should be made according to the motto: "Now let's give Bayern one."
He confirmed the assessment of the CSU that no location in Bavaria was an option.
In fact, the CSU has stated in the coalition agreement with the Free Voters that Bavaria is not suitable for a repository.
Schulze speaks of "visible progress"
Söder also attacked the BGE scientists in principle.
It is a "courageous assessment" to want to make a plan that should last for a million years.
But if that is actually the goal of the search for a repository, the geologically safest variant must be used for a repository.
The rock layers with clay in Bavaria are significantly thinner than elsewhere in Germany.
The Bavarian regions with granite are also very rugged and therefore unsuitable.
Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) welcomed the BGE report.
"The interim report shows that the jointly agreed procedure is working," said Schulze.
"Three years after the start of the procedure, we have made the first visible progress in the search for a repository. That is good news."
The procedure for finding a repository is good and deserves trust.
Schulze said about the BGE decision on Gorleben that it was "absolutely clear that the people in Gorleben are now happy about this decision".
Those affected "would have had to accept if Gorleben had remained in the proceedings."
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ulz / AFP / dpa