Ljubljana - Three environmental organisations have filed a lawsuit against the infrastructure and environment ministries over the issuance of an energy permit for the second unit of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NEK), according to a report by the 24ur.com website. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec responded with displeasure and disappointment.

The lawsuit against the Infrastructure Ministry and the Environment and Spatial Planning Ministry was filed by the Legal Centre for the Protection of Human Rights and Environment (PIC), the Focus Association for Sustainable Development and the association representing Greenpeace CEE in Slovenia.

According to reports by 24ur.com, the NGOs consider the Infrastructure Ministry's energy permit to the state-owned investor Gen Energija illegal, as it lacks a proper strategic and legal basis.

Along with the energy permit, the NGOs are challenging part of the content of the long-term climate strategy as well.

"The decision is against the law, because it was based on inadequate legal grounds, and the long-term climate strategy itself was adopted in an unlawful and unconstitutional manner," reads the lawsuit, which was obtained by 24ur.com.

Infrastructure Minister Vrtovec, speaking to the press on Friday in Ljubljana at an unrelated event, criticized the NGOs saying they opposed everything.

"They are against nuclear power, against thermal power, against wind energy, against solar energy ... but electricity does not grow on trees," argued Vrtovec.

He described nuclear energy as very clean and added that it has been identified as an appropriate course towards Slovenia's energy independence.

Issues like those facing Slovenia at the moment due to rising electricity prices would not occur if we already had the second unit of the nuclear power plant in Krško, according to Vrtovec's assessment, because Slovenia would be energy self-sufficient.

"Renewables are important and we need to invest in them, but everyone wants to have electricity in their homes, charge their phones, have air conditioning and a fridge ... you simply can't be against everything," he reiterated.

Vrtovec pointed out that the energy permit - issued in July - is only the first step towards starting the appropriate procedures for building the second unit of the nuclear power plant in Krško.

"I want us to reach a final decision on the second unit as soon as possible, because without it, we will be dependent solely on imports, given that we want to phase out coal by 2033," he added.

"We certainly won't skip the step of asking people whether they approve of a second block of the Krško nuclear power station," the minister concluded.