Idrizovo Penitentiary warden Zoran Jovanovski said Saturday that a proposal for a pardon or a percentage-based reduction of sentences would be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice. Options for a 10, 15, or 20 percent reduction are being considered to alleviate overcrowding at the facility.
According to the prison warden, the number of inmates at Idrizovo has risen by approximately 200 over the past three years. This has led to higher costs for food, accommodation, electricity, and water, occurring at a time when prices are rising while the prison’s budget is shrinking.
Previous measures, such as amnesty and the waiving of sentences for unpaid COVID-related fines, yielded only short-term results, the director noted.
As a long-term solution, Jovanovski proposes a greater use of alternative measures, including community service instead of imprisonment and suspended sentences, provided the legal conditions are met.
The Idrizovo prison is also facing shortages of staff and financial resources, as well as delays in filling vacant positions. According to Jovanovski, inadequate facilities and staffing levels hinder the rehabilitation of inmates. Data from the Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions show that on September 7 of this year, there were 1,296 convicts present at Idrizovo, against an official capacity of 1,187. Including convicts who were on leave, hospitalized, or at large, the total number reached 1,467.