Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard has visited a detention center in southeastern Kosovo set to receive up to 300 inmates from Denmark. The arrangement is intended to alleviate overcrowding in Danish prisons. Accompanied by his Kosovan counterpart Albulena Haxhiu, Hummelgaard hailed the “fruitful cooperation” between the two countries.
“Now we have come to Kosovo in need of help in the use of excess capacity in the Kosovan prison and detention facilities. And that is a very big help for Denmark in a time where we have a very, very pressured prison and probation service,” said Hummelgaard.
A Treaty to Ease Danish Prison Overcrowding
Originally signed in 2021, the deal took effect only this year after winning the approval of Kosovo’s parliament. Under the agreement, Denmark will lease 300 cells in Gjilan prison for inmates who are foreign nationals convicted in Denmark and slated for deportation after serving their sentences.
As part of the €15 million-per-year deal, Copenhagen will fund renovations and modernization projects in the facility to align it with Danish standards. Official data from 2021 showed Denmark’s prison population had risen by 19% since 2015, surpassing 4,000 inmates and stretching the system beyond its designated capacity.
Work Opportunities for Transferred Inmates
Ismail Dibrani, Director of the Correctional Service of Kosovo, highlighted plans to set up workshops within Gjilan prison so that transferred inmates can seek employment:
“Several workshops will be built, workshops which will serve for the employment of convicts […] there will be more workplaces, spaces where prisoners will have the opportunity to work. […] The contract was signed according to the needs and requirements of the Danish state.”
Concerns from Human Rights Organizations
Despite the economic and logistical benefits, human rights groups have expressed misgivings. Therese Rytter, legal director at Danish rights organization Dignity, cautioned that while allegations of abuse in Kosovo do not guarantee future violations, there is “definitely an increased risk compared to if they had been in a Danish prison.”
A 2023 US State Department report flagged issues within Kosovo’s prison system, including violence among inmates, corruption, and inadequate care for prisoners with mental disabilities. The UN Committee against Torture also raised concerns about healthcare access and family visitation rights.
Mirror Agreement with Albania
The Denmark-Kosovo arrangement echoes a 2022 deal between the UK and Albania, wherein Albanian nationals serving time in British prisons were transferred back to Albania. In return, Britain promised to support prison modernization efforts in Albania. Both cases underline a growing trend of European countries partnering to address prison overcrowding and resource challenges through cross-border inmate transfers.
