The Government of the Republic of Estonia has reaffirmed its commitment to the existing agreement to lease prison space to Swedish inmates but has ruled out active discussions on any new similar arrangements until a change in cabinet. This was stated on February 5 by Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta (Eesti 200) in an interview with the Estonian public broadcaster ERR.

Pakosta emphasized: “We have made it perfectly clear that this government and this composition of the Riigikogu will not discuss any additional matters regarding prison leasing. If there is ever interest in this again, it may be handled by the next government.”

Earlier, Belgian media reported on a visit by Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden and Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneline Van Bossuyt to Estonia. The purpose of the visit was to explore the possibility of renting prison cells for Belgian inmates to alleviate chronic overcrowding in the Belgian penitentiary system.

According to Narva News, Belgian authorities view Estonia as a potential partner for housing convicts who do not have a right of residence in Belgium, aiming to reduce the burden on their own prison infrastructure. These visits demonstrate the broad geographical scope of Belgium's search for solutions, which has included negotiations with Kosovo and Albania. However, the Estonian Ministry of Justice clarified that no active negotiations regarding new agreements are currently underway.

The Agreement with Sweden The deal with Sweden involves the transfer of 400 cells to Estonia, with the capacity to house up to 600 convicts. These individuals will not be released onto Estonian territory; they will be returned to Sweden at least one month before their sentences expire.

The agreement has yet to pass its second reading in the Riigikogu and also requires ratification by the Swedish Parliament (the Riksdag) before the phased arrival of prisoners begins in the second half of 2026.

Prison Capacity and Context Estonian prisons currently have surplus capacity. For instance, Tartu Prison is designed for approximately 998 inmates, while its current occupancy is significantly below maximum levels.

The broader European context reveals a crisis of prison overcrowding. In Belgium, there are approximately 13,500 inmates for only 11,000 available spaces, leading to extreme confinement conditions.

Minister Pakosta noted that implementing the Swedish agreement will provide Estonia with valuable experience for future administrations. However, the current cabinet does not plan to expand this practice and is not entertaining further international prison lease agreements.