Agreement with Denmark for rental cells, German media link it to visas

There are some German media that have paid attention to Denmark's plans to send refugees to Kosovo who are held in prison before the expulsion. Danish government plans have also sparked great debate in Denmark. Journal “Süddeutsche Zeitung” in an article stresses that Denmark plans to send part of the refugees to Kosovo before the expulsion to reduce pressure on Danish prisons. According to Danish Justice Minister Nick Haekkerrop, this country will take 300 prison cells to jail before the deportation. There has been a confirmation from Kosovo, according to Danish radio, DR. According to the German newspaper, plans are such: Denmark will rent for 10 years the cells, while Kosovo will receive 210m euros in compensation from Denmark.

“Dine DanishRule”

From Denmark it is emphasised that in the prison in Kosovo, the Danish “rule will be worth “. Justice Minister Haekkerup has assured that “you should imagine, as in a Danish prison, but elsewhere”, Süddeutsche Zeitung quoted. But Denmark's plans, which have negotiated in secret for a year with Kosovo, according to “Süddeutsche Zeitung” are sharply criticised by human rights activists. Because it's the bad conditions in Kosovo prisons, where the Council of Europe's anti-Tourture Commit “CPT recorded corruption and mistreatment charges in 2020. They ask, how the state in Denmark will guarantee relatives under Danish law a week visit. The prison service then organises flights to Kosovo for children to see their parents? And according to German radio, “Deutschland Fun” is scheduled for Denmark to take over a 326-seat prison in Gjilan. ”

Danish Parliament

Presenting for Kosovo prisons?

Even the Swiss German-speaking newspaper “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” pays attention to the accommodation of refugees imprisoned by Denmark in Kosovo. Danish government plans have been disclosed under a package of reforms to facilitate Danish prisons. According to the NZZ, unlike the deal with Washington on accepting Afghan refugees to Pristina and Albania, which was a humanitarian gesture, the agreement with Denmark is business. “Kosovo can make good use of related revenues, especially in the times of pandemic”, writes NZZ. But there are voices of political observers in Kosovo, which say, Pristina has probably also received Copenhagen support for visa liberalisation, according to the NZZ.

The concern remains what effect such an agreement will have on Kosovo's own prisons. “The Cerabregu Hands from the Kosovo Centre for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims mentioned that there are currently 200 prisoners in Gjilan. Displaced them to other prisons will inevitably lead to an overload and deterioration of prison conditions”, the NZZ writes. /DW