Kosovo Agrees To Rent Prison Cells To Denmark

Kosovo has agreed to rent 300 prison cells to Denmark to ease overcrowding in the Scandinavian country’s jails.

Denmark will pay an annual fee of €15m for an initial period of five years, and will also help fund green energy in the country.

The rented cells are meant to house convicted criminals from non-EU countries due to be deported from Denmark after their sentences.

Kosovo has between 700 and 800 unused prison spaces and Danish laws would apply to any prisoners in the rented cells.

A joint statement said the two governments signed a “political declaration” of intent on Monday which will run for an initial period of five years,.

In total, Kosovo is due to receive a total of €210m over the next 10 years for renting the prison in Gjilan, some 50km from the capital, Pristina, from 2023. Danish ministers were due to visit the jail on Tuesday.

Danish Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup said in a statement that the deal will create space in their prisons and ease the pressure on prison officers at the same time as it also sends a clear signal to third-country nationals sentenced to deportation.

There has been criticism of the move with activists in both countries saying Denmark should not be sending unwanted foreign convicts to other countries, or far away from their families.

Since 2015, the number of inmates in Denmark has risen from 3,400 to 4,200, while the number of prison guards has declined from 2,500 to 2,000.

In recent years, Denmark has taken a hard line on immigration and introduced dozens of restrictions, including an order to separate young asylum-seeking couples.