Kosovo to rent prison cells to Denmark for 300 inmates

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Kosovo's parliament approved an agreement Thursday to rent prison cells for 300 inmates in the city of Gjilan in the east to Denmark for 10 years.

The agreement will strengthen relations between Kosovo and Denmark, said Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli while introducing the agreement from the parliament’s rostrum.

Rizvanolli said Denmark will pay €6 million ($6.5 million) to be used in green energy projects, in addition to the fixed annual fee of €15 million ($16.23 million) for the prison cells.

The agreement was supported by 86 votes in the 120-seat Parliament. Seven MPs voted against the agreement.

It is expected that Kosovo and Denmark will work jointly as administrators and guards in the prison.

Kosovo signed an agreement with Denmark in December 2021 to rent prison cells for 300 inmates. The government in Kosovo, however, has so far failed to pass the agreement through parliament.

The agreement requested by Denmark stipulates that Kosovo would rent the prison cell to Denmark for 10 years at the price of €210 million (227.15 million) to be used in the justice system and renewable energy projects.

The majority of convicts would consist of "third country citizens" who are not Danish nationals and who committed crimes such as theft, smuggling, forgery and murder.