Minister Kuburović: great efforts made and sums paid to improve the living conditions of inmates and convicts

Today, Justice Minister Nela Kuburović attended the celebration of seventy years of the Correctional Home in Kruševac, where she said that the Ministry of Justice was making great efforts and allocating large sums towards the improvement of the living conditions of inmates and convicts in Serbia. “We will continue to work on improving the conditions, but the testament to us already doing a good job is the latest report by the European Council in which it was stated that we have been advancing non-stop. We used to be named last on the list for housing in correctional institutes. Today, we offer better conditions than the countries in the region and much more prosperous countries that are EU member states”, Kuburović stressed.

She noted that the Correctional Home in Kruševac, which housed 205 inmates, was marking an important jubilee – seventy years of existence -. She explained that it was a particular institution in, not only Serbia, but the entire Balkans, considering that sentences there were being served by minors and young adults. She added that since 2013, the Correctional Home - Kruševac had been notably modernised through State funding, numerous donations and own funding. “Once more, I would like to congratulate all the staff of the Correctional Home – Kruševac on this important jubilee and wish them much success in their future work so that no one may ever again refer to this institute as ‘the Gloomy Home’”, Kuburović stated.

The Warden of the Correctional Home – Kruševac Ivan Mijailović said that seventy years of existence was a big anniversary, emphasising the importance of the pledge all the institute staff had made to performing better and ensuring the results become even more notable.

The OSCE Mission to Serbia Ambassador Andrea Orizio, who presented the organisation’s donation in a form of computer equipment and learning materials, said that he was pleased to continue the cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and that the Mission was prepared to support the Ministry in its future reforms and endeavours.  

The seventy years of the Home’s existence was marked today by a gala ceremony and the consecration of a cross for the construction of a new temple in vicinity of the Home.