Cashing out prison space: Sweden goes cellular in Estonia
Sweden intends to lease 400 prison cells from Estonia.
In a turn of events, the almost carefree society Sweden was famous for seems to be fading into the background. Crime waves and gangs have taken the reins, pushing the country's prisons to their brink. Alas, Stockholm is considering a novel solution - rental prison space in Estonia.
The Swedish government, grappling with the grip of vicious gangs, proposes to house felons in a prison in Estonia. An arrangement between the EU states is set to be inked in Stockholm by mid-June, declared Sweden's Minister of Justice, Gunnar Strömmer at a press conference. However, the move requires the Swedish parliament's seal of approval with a three-quarters majority before it takes effect on July 1, 2026.
Svendalag's land, starved of space for its gang brethren, yearns for prison space in Tartu, Estonia, boasting 400 cells that can accommodate a total of 600 inmates. Malefactors, from murderers and sexual predators to crooks pocketing piles of bread, make the cut for this, according to Henrik Vinge, head of the parliamentary justice committee, hailing from the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats. Although not part of the government led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, the Sweden Democrats wield considerable political clout as a supporting party with significant influence.
Sweden won't export hardened criminals exhibiting higher security risk to Estonia, clarified Vinge. Offenders convicted of terrorism or serious organized crimes will remain in domestic prisons, freeing up space by transferring less hardcore culprits to Estonia.
Battling a long-standing gang problem, Sweden's prison facilities are bursting at the seams. Sweden will shell out 8,500 euros per month for the prison spots in Estonia, Strömmer announced.
- Sweden
- Estonia
- Prison Population Management
- Organized Crime
- Gang Tr beef
Sources:
- ntv.de
- dpa
- Deutsche Welle
- The Local
- The Swedish government, in a bid to address its burgeoning prison population due to rampant organized crime and gang activities, has proposed to rent 400 prison cells from Estonia.
- The Swedish parliament, with a significant influence from the Sweden Democrats, is deliberating a three-quarters majority vote to approve the rental of prison spaces in Estonia, in an effort to alleviate the overcrowding in Swedish prisons.
