“We are entering into this agreement with one of our neighbours and closest allies,” Minister Pakosta remarked. “The text of the agreement was drafted in close cooperation with our security authorities. All of the risks involved were covered during negotiations, and we came up with a solution. This agreement will not only help us to keep Tartu Prison running, but also to maintain and even add some very important jobs in Southern Estonia.”
The agreement is designed to preserve Tartu Prison as a key piece of Estonia’s internal security infrastructure.
“If we don’t act now, the prison could be closed within a year,” Minister Pakosta explained. “This would lead to hundreds of jobs being lost in the region, and Estonia as a whole would lose valuable professionals. Our aim is to avoid that scenario and to protect existing jobs and infrastructure in Tartu.”
According to the draft agreement, Estonia will provide a full range of services to the detainees in the prison, including medical assistance and transport within Estonia where needed.
The first prisoners are scheduled to be transferred to Tartu in the second half of 2026.
The agreement will place 400 cells at Sweden’s disposal, for use by a maximum of 600 prisoners. The cells will be single- or dual-occupancy. Estonian and Swedish prisoners will not mix at the prison.
Background checks will be carried out on all foreign detainees in cooperation with the Swedish authorities. Estonia will not be accepting prisoners considered to be high-risk or involved in terrorism or organised crime.
All foreign detainees will be repatriated to Sweden at least one month prior to the end of their sentence.
English will be used to communicate with the prisoners, who will also have the right to be assisted by an interpreter.
Sweden will be obliged to pay Estonia a total of 30.6 million euros per year for 300 places in the cells, plus 8500 euros per month for each additional prisoner. This rate will be indexed at 3.5% per annum from 2027. During the one-year transition period, Sweden will pay a total of 22.95 million euros. The agreement is being entered into for a period of five years, with the option to extend it for a further three years.
The government is due to approve the agreement in a cabinet meeting next week, after which it will be ratified by the Riigikogu. Once the agreement has been signed, a more detailed Memorandum of Understanding will be drafted with regard to the implementation and practical application of the agreement.
