British officials impressed with security of Tartu Prison

TALLINN - British Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said during a meeting with Estonian Justice and Digital Minister Liisa Pakosta that British officials who visited Tartu Prison were highly impressed with the facility's security and its crime prevention efforts.

At the meeting that took place in Vilnius on Thursday evening, Mahmood highlighted the ongoing potential interest in leasing Tartu Prison to help address the shortage of prison spaces in the United Kingdom.

Currently, the United Kingdom faces a deficit of 16,000 prison spaces, and planning and constructing new facilities is a time-consuming process.

Any future cooperation between Estonia and the United Kingdom -- or potentially with another NATO member state -- regarding the leasing of Tartu Prison depends on the Estonian government's stance on the prison's future.

In addition, Mahmood and Pakosta explored opportunities for cooperation in digitizing the justice sector and implementing artificial intelligence to enhance and streamline public services.

Estonia and the United Kingdom have a cooperation agreement in digital security and cybersecurity, with both nations adopting ambitious strategies for extensive digital solutions.

Pakosta noted that there is valuable insight to be gained from the United Kingdom’s judicial system, such as conducting court proceedings online and expediting family law cases.

The Estonian minister also emphasized the countries' shared interest in cybersecurity, given the increasing frequency of cyberattacks in Europe.