Aim and purpose of the project

The project to build the Centre for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions is one of the most significant projects that Bosnia and Herzegovina has undertaken in the last ten years. The aim of the project is to build an institution with the highest level of security, in accordance with the standards of the European Prison Rules and the laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The importance of building this institution should be viewed in the context of the overall reform of the BiH judicial system, particularly in the context of adapting the domestic judicial system to best European practices, which is an obligation of BiH under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

Upon the implementation of the planned project, Bosnia and Herzegovina will gain maximum-security prison capacity of 348 places. The prison will house convicted inmates and detainees of the BiH Court.

The State Prison will be the only institution of its kind to meet European prison standards, which is particularly significant given that existing entity prisons are characterised by overcrowding and inadequate capacity.

Once the project is implemented, the entity prisons will be able to redirect their priorities to improving the rehabilitation programme for less dangerous inmates, in order to facilitate their reintegration into the community and reduce the number of recidivists.

Although establishing an institute at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina requires significant investment, it is estimated that its existence is crucial for the functioning of the entire criminal sanctions enforcement sector, as well as for improving the overall security situation in the country.

Commissioning of a new, high-security facility,   will ensure the successful implementation of reforms in the areas of the judiciary, the prosecution service and the police, into which domestic structures and the international community have invested significant funds, the success of which would be seriously called into question were such infrastructure not built and only existing correctional facilities used.

The construction of a state prison and the establishment of an effective, efficient and sustainable system for the execution of criminal sanctions at the state level are strategic priorities of the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina.