Despite the fact that the Danish-Kosovar prison agreement was voted down last week in Kosovo’s parliament, the Kosovo government has now reintroduced the bill. Even though Kosovo’s parliament rejected an agreement to lease 300 prison spaces from Denmark last week, the Kosovo government refuses to let it die. According to a statement from the prime minister’s office in Kosovo, the proposal will be reintroduced in parliament. Vice Minister of Justice Blerim Sallahu explains to Radio Free Europe that it is exactly the same proposal that did not receive the necessary majority on Thursday. The vice minister states that Kosovo has “negotiated with Denmark,” and that both parties agree to proceed with the existing agreement.
Eugen Cakolli, program manager at Transparency International Kosovo, believes that the government is going against parliamentary practice with this move. “In my assessment, it goes against parliamentary practice, as votes on international agreements are usually considered final and not reintroduced,” says Eugen Cakolli in a written comment to Ritzau. The statement from the prime minister’s office does not specify when the proposal will be presented for a vote again. Ritzau is trying to get a comment from Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard (S). On Friday, he said in a written comment that “the government continues to work on the project to lease prison spaces in Kosovo,” and that he would contact his counterpart in Kosovo.
“I note that Kosovo’s president as recently as last week publicly stated that Kosovo will do everything in their power to ensure the necessary majority. There is therefore willingness from both sides to make it happen,” said Peter Hummelgaard. In order for international agreements to be approved in Kosovo’s parliament, a two-thirds majority is required. Therefore, the Kosovo government needs support from opposition parties. Only 75 members of parliament voted for the agreement with Denmark on Thursday, where at least 80 are required to achieve a majority.
One of the opposition politicians who voted against it, Hykmete Bajrami from the party Kosovo’s Democratic League, has stated on her Facebook page that she will vote against it again. “Approval of this agreement is a mistake, and we should not make Kosovo a place where prisoners are sent,” Hykmete Bajrami wrote on Facebook according to the newspaper Koha. Due to domestic political disagreements in Kosovo’s parliament, Denmark has now been waiting for three years for Kosovo to ratify the agreement. It was then-Minister of Justice Nick Hækkerup (S) who announced in April 2022 that the treaty between Denmark and Kosovo to lease 300 prison spaces was signed and awaiting approval in Kosovo’s parliament.
Back then, the expectation was that the first foreigners sentenced to deportation could begin their sentence in the prison in early 2023. The cost of leasing the prison is 1.5 billion Danish kroner over ten years.