Estonian parliament ratifies prison rental agreement with Sweden
The Riigikogu approved an agreement allowing the transfer of up to 600 Swedish inmates to Estonia to serve their sentences. The deal aims to keep Tartu Prison operational and generate €30-60 million for Estonia's state budget.
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At its sitting today, the Riigikogu ratified the agreement between Estonia and Sweden that authorises the transferral of up to 600 prison inmates from Sweden to Estonia to serve their sentence.
The Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee, Madis Timpson, explained that the number of inmates is constantly falling in Estonia while the cost of maintaining prisons remains high. "Leasing out prison places will enable Tartu Prison to remain in operation, ensure that internal security jobs are preserved in the region, create new jobs, and bring in at least €30–60 million in contractual revenue to the state budget. The agreement offers a solution to the temporary overload of the prison system in Sweden," Timpson said.
According to the agreement, Estonia is ready to accept Swedish inmates and enable the enforcement of their sentences. The arrival of inmates is planned to take place gradually so that Tartu Prison has time to make necessary preparations. The first Swedish inmates should be placed in Tartu Prison in August. In total, the agreement allows up to 600 inmates to be transferred.
The agreement sets out the rights and obligations, and regulates the enforcement of sentences, prison conditions, as well as the distribution of costs and supervision. Estonia will only accept prisoners who meet certain criteria; security risks have been identified in cooperation between the Police and Border Guard Board, the Estonian Internal Security Service, and the Ministry of the Interior. According to the agreement, foreign inmates are sent back to Sweden at least one month before the end of their sentence and are released there.
The agreement was signed in Stockholm last June. The Swedish parliament ratified it on 3 June. The agreement will enter into force on the thirtieth day after both Estonia and Sweden have completed the necessary national legal procedures and have notified each other of this in writing. At its sitting today, the Riigikogu also passed the amendments in national law needed to implement the agreement.
