site.btaPrisons in Pleven, Belene to Become First Green Prisons in Bulgaria

The prisons in Pleven and Belene will become the first two pilot green prisons in Bulgaria, the head of the Pleven prison, Senior Commissioner Stefan Stefanov, said on Tuesday.

“In partnership with our colleagues from Norway and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, we will now make a big leap into the future, because these two prisons will chart the future of the entire prison system in Bulgaria,” Stefanov emphasized. He pointed out that a green prison is in line with the natural environment and does not leave a large carbon footprint and noted that both prisons are located in natural parks.

The main concept for the development of a green prison in Pleven envisages a photovoltaic installation that will supply electricity to the buildings and workshops, its own water source that will also supply hot water, as well as repair and restoration of the work stations. By working there, prisoners will acquire new knowledge and skills that they will be able to use after their release and will be competitive on the labor market, Stefanov stressed.

“All this also works towards the correction of those deprived of their liberty and their rehabilitation”, Stefanov said, adding that another valuable thing is the easing of the financial burden for the taxpayer:  “(…) If the project is implemented, the prison becomes free for the Bulgarian taxpayer. With the efforts invested in the production, a profit will even be made in the State budget," he concluded.

He pointed out that all buildings of the Pleven prison already are energy efficient and all electrical appliances, including security systems, are energy-saving. Waste is also collected separately. He commented on the cooperation with the regional and municipal administrations, the I am Kaylaka foundation and the Regional Military History Museum, which work together to maintain the natural park. 

The initiative is part of a project to improve the sustainability of the penitentiary system in Bulgaria, financed under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.