The Estonian Riigikogu's legal committee has put forth a bill for initial reading that proposes to permit the leasing of vacant prison spaces in Estonia to foreign nations. The committee chairman, Madis Timpson, stated that current legislation does not allow for the enforcement of foreign prison sentences within Estonian facilities, necessitating a refinement of the law. This change aims to utilize excess prison space, which has financial implications for taxpayers, costing millions of euros in upkeep for unused facilities.

Timpson elaborated that the proposed bill would enable the rental of surplus prison capacity to foreign states that may face overcrowding in their own prison systems. Such cooperation is already planned with Sweden, indicating a willingness to engage in practical solutions to prison management. The bill aims to keep the Tartu Prison operational, ensuring job security for prison staff while simultaneously addressing the state's need to minimize expenses associated with vacant prison infrastructure.

According to the proposed legislation, the foreign government must submit an application to the Ministry of Justice and Digitalization if they wish to transfer a prisoner to serve a sentence in Estonia. This process will involve translating the application into Estonian before it is sent to the Tartu District Court for consideration. The initiative could represent a pragmatic step for Estonia in managing its prison resources while fostering international cooperation.