NEWS

13.10.2010

Prime Minister Pahor visits Dob Prison

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor , together with the Minister of Justice Aleš Zalar, today visited Dob prison, where he took note of the endeavours to solve the problems of overcrowded premises and personnel shortage. After the visit, the Prime Minister said that he is returning to Ljubljana with two tasks relating to the completion of new constructions and the number of employees. It is the Government’s task to see that the two 12-million EUR worth blocks with 174 single and double rooms that are being built in Dob to solve the urgent issue of over-crowdedness will be available by the next summer. “In order to ensure that the Government and the Minister of Finance will have to find the necessary funding in the amount of EUR 2 million”, further explained the Prime Minister.

(Photo: Stanko Gruden/SPA)

The second task, according to the Prime Minister is “the Government’s commitment not to reduce the number of employees, who are already pushed to the verge of their capacities”, as such reduction may severely affect the quality of their work. Namely, one of the reasons for his present visit was to get acquainted with the personnel issue faced by the Slovenian prisons. The Prime Minister further pointed out that the employees’ satisfaction with their position and working conditions reflects in the quality of their performance. The Prime Minister also mentioned his meeting with Josip Zagajski, who tried to assassinate him in 2009. He said that he wanted “to hear whether the prisoner serving the sentence is capable of regretting that event. Mr. Zagajski told me that he was very sorry, that he regretted his decision at that time, and that he would never do it again.

(Photo: Stanko Gruden/SPA)

The Minister of Justice Aleš Zalar told that that day Dob prison was presented to them as an organised system where the prisoners serve their sentence as well as a system that offers them opportunity to get ready to face freedom and a free life in society. “This is an important element of the social reintegration of convicts, which is achieved at Dob through economic and agricultural activities and life in their open section”, added the Minister. Dob also offers a range of opportunities for education and training, and some 200 convicts make use of this on an annual basis. Presently, more than 60 percent of prisoners are included in various work activities, and according to Minister Zalar, Slovenia may serve as a good example to other countries.