Today, Minister of Justice Nela Kuburović visited the construction site of the new Penitentiary-Correctional Institution in Pančevo, which will have the capacity to accommodate 500 persons deprived of liberty, that is, 300 convicts and 200 detainees. Kuburović pointed out that the works were progressing according to plan and that the facility would be completed by the end of 2017.
She said that the completion of the penitentiary-correctional institution in Pančevo would improve prison capacities in Serbia. “Currently, our accommodation capacity is of around 9,500 people, and prisons hold about 10,700 of convicts and detainees“, Kuburović said.
She pointed out that the existing prison in Pančevo could accommodate 160 persons, and that the prison building - located in the city center - was very old. He added that the plan was to have the building handed over to the City which would use it as museum space, after the new prison has been built.
Kuburović thanked the Council of Europe Development Bank, which funded the construction of the new facility with EUR 18 million, whereas Serbia co-funded the works with EUR 5 million. Minister Kuburović visited the construction site together with the Governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank Rolf Wenzel and the Director of the Enforcement of Penalties Directorate Milan Stevović. Wenzel said that Serbia and the Council of Europe Development Bank had a good and strong cooperation, that the bank recognised the importance of building capacities not only in health care institutions, but also in penitentiary-correctional institution, and that he hoped that the construction of the new facility in Pančevo would unburden the prison capacities in Serbia.
The future Penitentiary-Correctional Institution will consist of 10 buildings and occupy 24,000 square meters. It will be built in accordance with modern standards, it will have the highest level of security and be equipped with a special technical protection system.
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