TIRANA, June  8 /ATA/- By Maela Marini/ Minister of Justice, Ulsi Manja, said on Thursday that the approval of additions and changes to the “Prison Police” law guarantees a modern police capable of meeting the needs of the penitentiary system.

While inviting MPs to support these changes through vote, Manja presented the benefits provided to Prison Police employees.

“The reform that we implemented in the penitentiary system in 2020 had an impact  not only on the system as a whole but also on the civil staff of the prisons. The package at that time was designed to provide decent remuneration for prison staff as well. Prison Police employees receive what they are entitled to under the law, salary and other financial benefits, just like their colleagues in the State Police,” said Manja.

Despite the efforts to make the job positions attractive for the best candidates to serve this system, there are currently 400 vacancies in 22 institutions of the penitentiary system.

Manja emphasized that there are many reasons for the vacancies, but many have also been created due to stringent criteria set in 2020, such as the age limit to be recruited into the Prison Police is up to 35 years old.

The minister said that the changes remove the age criterion for recruitment to the penitentiary system.

Also, according to him, these changes guarantee the return to the system of all employees of the Prison Police who have left voluntarily.

/sm/