State Prisons To Pay For Renovations By Bartering Property

On August 21, Bulgaria's Cabinet approved a real estate-for-services swop deal to get the country's prisons repaired.It was decided that the state company Prison Activities Fund would receive property instead of money when repairs were being done to prisons, with a public tender taking place to select the firm to carry out the renovations.The Cabinet approved a new project of decree for changes in the regulations for applying the State Property Act and in the regulations for management and activities of the state company Prison Activities Fund, the Government media office said. The changes envisioned better conditions in jails and custodies, as well as bringing them up to the European Union standards.The amendments were not connected to the need of additional budget money within the Justice Ministry for 2008, but were an important element in the progress of judicial reform in the country, the Government media office said.The approved changes mostly came about because the material conditions in Bulgarian prisons do not meet European requirements, which has lead to many court cases being started by the European Court against Bulgaria, Focus news agency reported. The decision was also provoked by the recommendations given to Bulgaria for improvement of the material conditions in prisons within Chapter 24 of Justice and Interior Affairs, and by checks of the European Committee into torture that has taken place in the past years.