New project in Romania: Certain inmates to receive help from state after release

Several MPs from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL) have submitted to the Senate a project according to which certain prisoners will receive help from the state after they get out of prison. The legislative initiative targets inmates from vulnerable categories, and provides a series of benefits for them. For example, the inmates identified as coming from disadvantaged groups will receive footwear, clothing and medicines when going out from prison, and will also benefit from temporary placement in a shelter for the homeless, meals at a social canteen or food allowance, as well as free public transportation, all for a period of three months, according to local Hotnews.ro. “The main reasons to support this bill are social - there are detainees coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are very poor and have no alternatives when going out of prison, they have nothing to eat, no place to work, and no way to find a job,” PSD MP Florin Manole, one of the project’s initiators, said. The bill has to pass the Senate first, with the Chamber of Deputies having the final say. Justice minister Tudorel Toader announced earlier this month that the inmates released before October 2017 may get financial compensations from the state if they were held in improper conditions. After October 2017, the inmates received a 6-day cut of their sentence for each 30 days spent in improper conditions. The union federation representing the prison workers – FSANP said that this initiative announced by the justice minister would require between EUR 370 million and EUR 550 million from the state budget. Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com