Prison in Kosovo rented by Denmark
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Denmark will pay Kosovo over $ 200 million to keep criminals away from home.
The more developed countries pay the poor to place prisons on their territories. It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood movie, but this is already reality. Denmark has agreed with Kosovo to lease 300 prison cells in the Balkan country. The Danes are trying to avoid overcrowding in their prisons in this way.
Denmark plan
The Danish authorities are going to send convicted immigrants from outside the European Union to Kosovo, who will face deportation after serving their sentence. They will be treated according to Danish law.
According to the declaration of intent, which the governments of Denmark and Kosovo signed on Monday, from 2023 Denmark will pay 15 million euros per year for cells in a prison in the town of Gnilane, 50 km from Pristina. In addition, the Danes are committed to helping develop sustainable energy in Kosovo.
The agreement, which has yet to be ratified by the Kosovo parliament, is designed for five years with the possibility of automatic renewal for the same amount. In total, Denmark will pay 210 million euros.
“The agreement will avoid crowding in our prisons and reduce the burden on their workers, as well as send a clear message to third-country nationals sentenced to deportation: your future is not in Denmark, and therefore you should not serve your sentence here,” said the Minister of Justice of Denmark Nick Hekkerup.
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EPA
Prison in Kosovo rented by Denmark
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Too many criminals
In recent years, the number of prisoners in Denmark has grown rapidly, while the number of jailers has been falling. Since 2015, the number of inmates has increased from 3,400 to 4,200, and the number of prison staff has dropped from 2,500 to 2,000.
Nick Haekkerup said last week that there could be a 1,000-bed space deficit in the country’s prisons by 2025. In Kosovo, on the other hand, 700-800 places are empty in prisons.
Denmark’s intentions to rent cameras in Kosovo were criticized by some human rights activists in both countries – in their opinion, Denmark should not send convicted foreigners to other countries and deprive them of the opportunity to visit their families frequently.
“We did our best to ensure that everything was according to the rules,” the Minister of Justice replied. “The exact same rules will apply to these prisoners as in Denmark. Relatives will be able to visit these deported convicts, although, of course, it will be difficult.” …
Under the agreement, Denmark will not send especially dangerous criminals convicted of terrorism or terminally ill to Kosovo. The idea of ”exporting” prisoners to Europe is not new: Norway and Belgium have previously rented prison cells in the Netherlands.
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