Unaffiliated Member of the European Parliament Luis-Vicențiu Lazarus (NI) argues that Western European countries benefit from modern infrastructures, while Eastern European countries such as Romania and Bulgaria are constantly criticized without receiving significant support for modernization.

Here is the full position of the unaffiliated MEP Luis-Vicențiu Lazarus (NI):

Regardless of the seriousness of the crime, prisoners must be treated in accordance with the fundamental rights laid down in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The inhuman or degrading conditions in some European prisons, including those in Romania, are a violation of European standards and undermine the credibility of justice.

One problem would be prison overcrowding. In the case of Romania, there would be other unresolved issues: the implementation of alternatives to detention for minor offenses (house arrest, community service), modernization of the existing infrastructure to meet international standards.

Detention systems must contribute to the reintegration of detainees into society, supporting programs such as: vocational training for prisoners, psychological counseling and social support, creating conditions that facilitate the reduction of recidivism.

They emphasize the need to maintain a balance between prisoners’ rights and public safety.

Western European states benefit from modern infrastructures, while eastern states, such as Romania and Bulgaria, are constantly criticized without receiving significant support for modernization.

The EU should financially support the modernization of prisons in states facing serious problems, without making this support conditional on other policy reforms. Prison conditions must reflect a balance between the fundamental rights of prisoners and public safety.

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