Today’s news / Danish prison in Kosovo may house unforeseen inmates
The Gjilan prison, located about 50 kilometers from Kosovo's capital, Pristina, is here photographed in 2021. In the fall of 2026, the plan is for inmates from Denmark to serve their sentences in the prison. (Archive photo). Photo: Str/Ritzau Scanpix

Danish prison in Kosovo may house unforeseen inmates

Denmark’s plan to lease 300 prison places in Kosovo was set to hold deportable foreign criminals. However, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard (S) might scarcely find enough inmates fitting this profile in Danish prisons to fill the prison, with just 293 matching inmates as of September 8. Despite the low number, Hummelgaard anticipates more eligible prisoners by the facility’s opening in autumn 2026. During a visit to Gjilan prison to sign a refurbishment contract, he noted current criteria prioritize those without children in Denmark but excludes those with serious medical conditions or convicted of severe crimes like terrorism. If insufficiency persists and Danish prisons remain full, alternatives may be considered, potentially involving Danish citizens. The minister has authority to define the Kosovo prison’s inmate group. Denmark committed to paying over 1.1 billion kroner for a ten-year lease of the spaces.