Denmark signs agreement to lease 300 places in Kosovo for prisoners convicted of crimes and deported from Denmark if they are from outside the European Union.
According to TV2, Danish Justice Minister Nick Hækkerup signed an agreement with Kosovo regarding 300 seats in Kosovo for convicts to be deported. The places are reserved for citizens coming from countries that are not members of the European Union.
The criminals deported from Denmark are set to serve their sentences in a prison in Kosovo instead of on Danish soil, as Justice Minister Nick Hækkerup signed a treaty stipulating that Denmark can lease 300 places in a prison in Kosovo in an agreement he calls groundbreaking, saying: “I think it’s absolutely fantastic that we can get rid of them as quickly as possible, including starting with them spending time outside, so we see their heels instead of their toes,” he said, adding that implementation is expected to be in the first quarter of 2023.
Compliance with Danish requirements
Although the prisoners will remain outside Danish territory, they have the right to spend time in conditions similar to those in Danish prisons. Therefore, Gjilan prison in southeastern Kosovo must be rebuilt to meet Danish standards, and the Kosovo authorities must comply with Denmark’s international obligations when the prisoners are in custody.
It has been previously described that Danish deportees in Kosovo may have to pay for their own medical treatment in prison by being required to pay for their private health insurance, but this is not part of the current agreement. However, the minister does not hide the fact that he would like the bill to end with those concerned by deportation, commenting, “As a starting point, we would like deported convicts who committed a crime in Denmark and have nothing to do in Denmark to pay for it themselves, but this is something we have to adhere to.”.
It must be finally approved by the Danish Parliament and the Parliament in Kosovo, but the Minister of Justice does not expect any problems with that and expressed confidence that the approvals will be obtained.
One of the key points of the treaty is that those sentenced to deportation can be sent directly to their home country after serving their sentence, so they will not have to cross the Danish border again.
In addition, if prisoners commit crimes in Kosovo prison, the person will be tried in Kosovo, and if the person is convicted of a violation, they must serve their sentence in Kosovo prison, and during that period the Danish sentence is “suspended,” according to the source.
