Today, the German non-governmental organisation “Help” and three institutes for the enforcement of penal sanctions – the Correctional Prison Institute in Sremska Mitrovica, the Correctional Prison Institute in Niš and the Correctional Centre in Kruševac – signed cooperation agreements which facilitated a continuation of activities on the advancement of the penal sanctions enforcement system and on the successful social re-integration of the convicted persons. The ceremony of the signing of the agreements was attended by the Justice Minister Nela Kuburović, H.E. Axel Dittmann, the Ambassador of Germany to Serbia, and the Head of the Directorate for the Enforcement of Penal Sanctions Dr. Milan Stevović.

On the occasion, Kuburović noted that Germany and Serbia were in good relations which were continuously being promoted through various forms of cooperation. One proof of that - she added - was the [subject] cooperation with the “Help” organisation, which was tremendously important for the resocialisation of the convicted persons. She also thanked the German Government for the support it was giving Serbia on its path towards joining the EU, including the implementation of numerous activities of Chapter 23 Action Plan.

The wardens of the three penal sanctions enforcement institutes noted that, owing to the project, the respective convicted persons were receiving training in vocations which were deficit in the [job] market. That – they said – would enable the convicted persons to start employment after they had served their sentences. They explained that, on the one hand, the training on the received equipment was engaging more persons which resulted in a significant decrease in disciplinary offences and assaults, and, on the other hand, the new work machines were helping the correctional prison institutes increase their production capacities. That – they noted - additionally impacted the budget savings. They emphasised that looking after former convicts lowered the chances of them later resuming criminal activities, referring to the fact that in the previous several years the rate of the convicts returning to crime had dropped from 70% to 62%.

The value of the project is EUR 274,000, of which EUR 50,000 are being provided from the Serbian State Budget. To encourage employment and self-employment of former convicts and, inter alia, their successful reintegration into the society, funding will be provided to support the employment of 30 former convicts.

Since 2014, the “Help” organisation in partnership with the Directorate for the Enforcement of Penal Sanctions has implemented two projects aimed at the enhancement of the treatment and reception of convicted persons program. Including the agreements signed today, the total amount of the invested funds is over EUR 610,000, of which EUR 135,000 have been secured from the Serbian State Budget.

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