Protests were held in Estonia against the placement of Swedish prisoners in the country's prisons — ERR
On Sunday, a protest by local residents took place in the Estonian city of Tartu against the agreement between Estonia and Sweden regarding the lease of prison facilities.
People expressed their dissatisfaction with plans to house foreign prisoners in a local correctional facility.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sweden will pay Estonia 30.6 million euros per year to house up to 300 inmates.
In addition, an additional fee of 8,500 euros per month is provided for each subsequent prisoner admitted to the facility.
The Tartu Prison, located in the south of the country and currently half-empty, will serve as the facility for housing foreign criminals.
The launch of this scheme is scheduled for the second half of 2026, which has sparked a wave of criticism from the public and opposition politicians.
During a protest, Tartu City Council member Sandra Laur expressed her categorical rejection of the initiative.
“The Swedes gave us meatballs and Pippi Longstocking, but they should keep their trash to themselves,” she said.
In early June, the Estonian Parliament had already approved the relevant legislative amendments allowing for the transfer of foreign prisoners to local prisons.
The country has also officially ratified a treaty on bilateral cooperation in the penitentiary sector.
The agreement is valid for five years, with the option to extend it for another three years. It provides for the use of up to 400 cells at Tartu Prison, which can accommodate up to 600 Swedish prisoners at a time.
This was reported by ERR.
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