Justice Ministry Confirms Belgium Contacted for Prison Agreements With Denmark

The Denmark-related agreement for the rented cells seems to remain the only one of its kind Kosovo has linked to any state.

The Kosovo Justice Ministry has told Gazeta Express that they have been contacted by Belgium for similar deals, but such agreements are not in their plan.

“As far as Belgium is concerned, this state has contacted the Ministry of Justice, expressing interest in ties to the agreement but that we do not plan to address such agreements in the future”, it says in response.

Regarding the agreement that has already been ratified in the Kosovo Assembly, which gives Denmark's Kingdom in exploiting Gjilan Prison, the ministry says this has become the cause of support and pledges by the preliminary governments.

“As far as Denmark is concerned, Kosovo has addressed the Agreement due to the continued support Denmark has given to Kosovo, and due to pledges given to the preliminary governments”, it is said in response.

This idea was put into question in Belgium weeks ago by Belgium's House of Representatives member Theo Franzken from the N-VA party.

Against this idea was Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander de Creo, who has named it “mad proposal”, but despite this, this country has officially expressed interest in such an agreement.

This agreement has been cited as a model in Austria, during a meeting of Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Carrer, with Danish counterpart Peter Hummelgaard at a conference on migration.

But, MD denies there will be any agreement between Pristina and Vienna.

“As to the news of the agreement between Kosovo and Austria for the prisoners, we inform you that such a thing does not stand”.

That other countries have expressed interest in such agreements, Justice Minister Albulen Haxhiu himself had discovered during a House session where the adoption of the agreement with Denmark was in order, but not revealed by which.

Haxhiu had made that statement after LDK deputy Driton Selmanaj had asked whether this would be Kosovo's last such agreement.

As for whether Kosovo will stop with this agreement, I have to be honest. After this deal, there were other countries that wanted to make the same deals, but we didn't. This is Kosovo's position for now, because we consider having this”, Haxhiu had said.

For the treaty with the Kingdom of Denmark, Haxhiu had said it was meant not to break down reports and the cause of support Denmark has given to the country in various processes, stressing it to the Council of Europe, where the country intends to join.

“... so that we don't spoil relations with the Kingdom of Denmark because of the support Denmark Kingdom has given us in various processes, including the Council of Europe, where we claim membership. We have considered it important that we continue, not to interrupt this agreement the Prosecution Government has made, the minister had declared.

The agreement with Denmark was ratified last week, after months of procrastination.

The treaty for the transfer of convicts from the Denmark Kingdom to the Republic of Kosovo, with the purpose of executing Danish sentences, was signed on April 26th of 2022.

Kosovo and Denmark had reached an agreement with which Denmark sent 300 prisoners to serve the sentence in Kosovo. The value of the deal is 210m euros, while the deal is valid for ten years.

Haxhiu had suggested that none of these people, after the end of the sentence, would remain in Kosovo.

None of these people will stay in the Republic of Kosovo. We'll move to the airport and then take responsibility from the Danish government. We have no business with third countries, but only the Danish Kingdom. They deal with family visits and the remaining”, Hadziu had declared.

They will serve the sentence in Gjilan Prison, which is being renovated according to Danish criteria.

For the renovation of Gjilan prison, Haxhiu had suggested it would be spent up to 5m euros, but had said Denmark would then return to the budget of the Republic of Kosovo.