Denmark Says in Gjilan Penitentiary Will Send Jail Sent to Exile

The Kosovo Assembly ratified the deal to rent Denmark a 300-strong prison in the country's southern town in May.

“Following the treaty between Denmark and Kosovo, Denmark will rent the Gjilan prison in Kosovo. Prison has room for 300 prisoners. This prison is planned for persons sentenced to expulsion”, the Danish Ministry said in a written response to the REL.

She also confirmed that, under the treaty, Denmark will not send prisoners convicted of terrorism and war crimes, nor inmates diagnosed with serious mental disorders.

Civil society in Kosovo and Denmark has expressed concern over possible violations of the rights of prisoners from both states.

“According to the treaty, prisoners must certainly carry out their sentences in the same terms as they would have committed in a Danish prison, including physical conditions in line with conditions in a Danish” prison, according to the Danish Ministry.

The ministry said that for this reason, Gjilan prison must be renovated before it is introduced so it is similar to Danish prisons.

The renovation should begin after ratification of the agreement, according to the treaty between the two countries.

Denmark expects prison in Gjilan to be available for use about two years after ratification of the treaty, sometime in 2026.

Kosovo “Authorities should make sure that the carrying out of sentences is carried out in line with Denmark's international obligations. Denmark is obliged to make sure of this”, said in response.

Kosovo will benefit about 200m euros from this deal, which will spend on the country's Correcting Service and renewable energy.

Security experts in Kosovo have earlier told REL that there is no room to worry about the security situation from the arrival of prisoners from Denmark. But representatives of some nongovernmental organisations have said this transfer could affect the standard of local prisoners.