The Ministry of Justice released a study on September 17, outlining legal pathways for leasing prison space overseas. Finland currently houses 3,900 inmates, including 950 foreign nationals, a cohort that has surged 76% in the last decade—four‑fifths of the overall population rise.
Justice Minister Leena Meri cautioned that the proposal raises constitutional questions. "I consider it important that, because of overcrowding in our prisons, we examine what such a model would require in practice from the perspective of our legislation," she told the Helsinki Times.
The study notes Finland is watching two Nordic models: Sweden‑Estonia and Denmark‑Kosovo. Sweden’s first prisoners landed at Estonia’s Amari military airport on September 18, with 600 inmates slated to occupy cells in Tartu as part of a June agreement.
With the minister’s statement, the government will convene legal experts next month to assess constitutional implications and begin formal negotiations. If approved, the arrangement could become a template for other Nordic nations grappling with prison overcrowding.