30-08-2022 16:25
The Minister of Justice Krum Zarkov, the Director General of the Execution of Punishments General Directorate (GDIN) Chief Commissioner Ivaylo Yordanov, the Ambassador to Norway Vera Shatilova, representatives of the MoJ and GDIN, held working meetings with representatives of the Norwegian Correctional Service and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meetings, the Norwegian side highly appreciated the actions taken by the Bulgarian authorities for the successful implementation of the project for the construction of a new prison in Samoranovo. The funds for this project are under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021, project “Enhancing the capacity of the prison staff, building a pilot prison facility connected to a training centre and improving the rehabilitation of prisoners”.
The investment project includes a new prison campus, with 200 cells for 400 prisoners, a new school building, a hall and library for the prisoners, a new chapel, a new building-centre for staff and employees training, a new transitional ward for prisoners, new sports grounds for outdoor sports for the trainees in the centre, etc.
The Bulgarian representatives also visited one of the largest prisons in Norway - Romerike, which is similar to the one to be built in Samoranovo. It has modern buildings and modern equipment for video surveillance and control. One of the wings of Romerike is specifically set aside for practical classes, in which trainees from the University College of Norwegian Correctional Service are trained in the field.