Denmark Delays Kosovo Prison Lease Plan Until Late 2027

Denmark has delayed its plan to lease 300 prison places in Kosovo.

The facility will now open in late 2027 or early 2028 at the earliest.

This plan targets foreign nationals who are sentenced to deportation.

Danish Justice Minister Nicolai Wammen confirmed the new timeline on Friday.

He received the update directly from the Danish Prison Agency.

Denmark signed a political agreement in 2021 to rent the Kosovo beds.

The country wants to reduce severe overcrowding in its own prisons.

Officials originally hoped to start transferring foreign inmates in early 2023.

The project is now running about five years behind schedule.

Approval delays in Kosovo's parliament previously stalled the process.

Kosovo authorities have now cleared out all inmates from the prison site.

A contractor signed an agreement in July to handle renovations.

The renovation work will take roughly one full year to complete.

Minister Wammen expressed strong dissatisfaction with the latest construction delay.

He emphasized that removing convicted foreign nationals remains a top government priority.

Source: CPH Post / Ritzau