Danish minister on renting of prison cells in Kosovo

Denmark's justice minister on Monday said that renting 300 prison cells in Kosovo would resolve his country's worrying issue of prison over-population.

Nick Haekkerup signed a letter of intent with his Kosovo Albanian counterpart Albulena Haxhiu, a first step before the agreement is signed early next year and then ratified by both countries' parliaments.

The justice ministry has said the small Balkan country would be paid 210 million euros ($236 million) from Denmark for a 10-year agreement, which will fund Kosovo's justice system and renewable energy projects.

"This is an agreement that will solve a big problem in Denmark with the overburdened prison capacity," said Haekkerup at a news conference in the Kosovar capital Pristina.

Haxhiu said that the plan is for the 300-cell prison in Gjilan, 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of the capital, Pristina, to be used to house the inmates from Denmark.

Kosovo's nonprofit organizations monitoring the correctional system there have expressed concern that transferring about 200 inmates from Gjilan prison to make way for Danish prisoners would naturally overpopulate other prisons.

Kosovo's prison system has a capacity of up to 2,500 of which about 700-800 are still free.

Haekkerup said Denmark planned to house in Kosovo prisoners facing expulsion.

A Danish warden will run the new 300-cell facility, accompanied by an Albanian one and other local staff. Danish laws will apply to the facility.

The deal also includes a donation of more than 60 million euros ($68 million) for 10 years to help Kosovo build green energy.

Kosovo's energy system, totally based on coal production, is in crisis, producing only 60% of daily consumption, which has resulted in daily cuts.