British ambassador Brummell on pardon, prison overcrowding: UK opted for various solutions, such as private prisons

The UK ambassador in Bucharest Paul Brummell stated that he knows that penitentiaries are overcrowded in Romania , as this issue was also present in Great Britain, but revealed the authorities opted for various solutions, such as “private prisons”.

“The Justice Ministry explained that there is a problem in respect to the prison population, which is higher than the accommodation capacity. It is a problem not only for Romania. In the UK we have adopted various solutions, for instance, private prisons or alternatives to prisons — electronic bracelets. We are absolutely ready to share our experience with the Romanian authorities. It could be interesting and useful for Romania,” ambassador Brummell said in Alba Iulia on Friday, when asked about the ordinance draft on pardon and the referendum.

However, he said that it is not foreign diplomats’ place to say what the legislation in Romania should stipulate. According to him, it is Romania’s decision, adding that it is important that everyone voice their points of view in “a transparent discussion”.

As for the pertinence of a referendum on this topic, the British envoy  also said that, as a foreign diplomat, he cannot say whether it is necessary or not. In his view, this is a domestic issue for Romania and it is important to have a transparent discussion with all sides to find the most efficient solution to the problems.