Estonian Prisons Prepare to Receive Swedish Inmates
Estonia is finalizing preparations to house up to 600 Swedish prisoners starting in August. Recruitment of 300 prison officers is underway at Tartu Prison, with salaries starting at €2,400 per month.
Estonia has nearly completed the legislative framework necessary to host Swedish prisoners. The only remaining legal step is the promulgation of the prison lease agreement by the president. According to Rait Kuuse, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice's Prisons Department, if the agreement enters into force, the first foreign inmates could arrive as early as August. The arrivals will be gradual, reaching the full capacity of up to 600 prisoners within about a year. Around 100 Swedish inmates are expected to arrive at Tartu Prison each quarter.
Recruitment of 300 new prison officers for Tartu Prison is currently ongoing. Interior Minister Igor Taro (Eesti 200) noted that while some officers from other internal security sectors might be attracted by the competitive salary of €2,400 per month, the overall security sector could benefit from training a larger number of personnel.
Tartu Prison, originally built to house 1,000 inmates, will be almost exclusively reserved for Swedish prisoners from August onward. The transferred inmates will be men convicted of violent or drug-related crimes. They will only be allowed to leave the prison grounds under armed escort for medical treatment that cannot be provided on-site. Kuuse stated that visits are expected to be infrequent, with inmates primarily using phone calls and video visits to maintain contact with family.
