site.btaBulgaria to Build Its First "Green" Prisons

Bulgaria has made the first steps to building "green" prisons, said the Justice Ministry Thursday. The authorities are considering the option of training inmates and the staff in the Belene and Pleven prisons so that they acquire knowledge and skills in the green economy.

The experience comes from Norway where the Norwegian penitentiary administration has integrated these concepts in prisons in the field of agriculture, organic farming, health care, sustainable energy resources and a healthy environment in prisons.

A working visit of Norwegian and Bulgarian experts ended Thursday at Belene where they presented the conceptual design for the "green prisons". A first draft of project activities, indicators and estimated budget has also been developed. The next meeting of the working group will be at the end of February in Norway, where the Bulgarian participants will learn about the Norwegian experience and agreements will be signed for twinning between the prison in Pleven and the prison in Belene with the prison in Ona, Norway.

This initiative is implemented by the Directorate General Execution of Penalties, which is a partner in a grant agreement under the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 for strengthening bilateral cooperation between the Norwegian Correctional Service and the Directorate General Execution of Penalties through establishment of two pilot "green" prisons.

On 16 January, the second training of prison staff on the implementation of the newly developed programme for rehabilitation and social reintegration of representatives of vulnerable groups deprived of liberty began, according to the Justice Programme - Norwegian Financial Mechanism - 2014-2021, Facebook page. The training, which runs from January 15 to 19, will be attended by 115 staff members of the Directorate General for the Execution of Punishments.