The Swedish authorities have transferred this Tuesday by plane, crossing the Baltic Sea, a first contingent of inmates to the prison in Tartu, Estonia, as part of the agreement sealed with Tallinn in 2025 to lease spaces for 600 inmates and thus alleviate the lack of space in Swedish penitentiary centers.
"It is very satisfying that the cooperation is being carried out in practice and that the first transport has been carried out safely and successfully. That, in itself, is historic," declared the Minister of Justice, Gunnar Strommer, to the SVT network.
That same Tuesday, the Stockholm Executive ordered the penitentiary service to study what additional measures could be implemented to further accelerate the expansion of detention centers and prisons, according to a government statement.
In June, Parliament gave the green light to the agreement between Sweden and Estonia, with an initial duration of five years, which authorizes the quarterly transfer of up to 100 prisoners until reaching 600 by the summer of 2027.
The pact — which can be extended for three more years unless one of the parties terminates it — grants the Estonian government the authority to reject the admission of certain profiles of inmates, including members of criminal gangs and those convicted of particularly serious violent crimes.
All costs of maintaining these foreign inmates, including healthcare, will be borne by the Swedish state. In addition, the prisoners will not have permits to leave for the city and will be returned to Sweden, at a minimum, one month before completing their sentence.