This follows the Riigikogu starting the process of ratifying the agreement between the two countries.

Pakosta says the move will make the prison pay for itself and create 250 jobs, but at the same time, opposition MPs and Tartu city government leaders expressed concerns about security and agency workloads. Pakosta said she considers the risks to be low.

"Estonia will not accept a whole range of inmates. We won't be taking [criminal] networked inmates. We won't take radicalized inmates. We won't take people with health issues, so there's a whole category of people we won't accept," Pakosta said.

Regarding MPs' concerns about potential future asylum claims once released, Pakosta said that Sweden is a safe country to return prisoners to, meaning applications like this would have no chance of being accepted.

She also noted that specific training will be required to deal with linguistic and cultural differences, and additional training will be provided to existing prison guards, as well as 250 new prison officers to be trained at the Internal Security Academy (Sisekaitseakadeemia).

Beyond these measures, the principles are the same, Reform MP and chair of the Riigikogu Legal Affairs Committee Madis Timpson said.

"Guarding a prisoner isn't that different — be it an Estonian prisoner and a Swedish prisoner. Naturally, there might be some cultural differences, but I think on the whole there's nothing to fear when we consider the other benefits we get," Timpson, a former justice minister, added.

Isamaa MP Tõnis Lukas had raised concerns about "prisoners from third countries, not of Swedish origin," noting that "an unsuitable subculture will certainly develop, one that affects our citizens and prison officers.

He also emphasized that insufficient discussion has been held on the additional workload for prosecutors and courts, as well as the recruitment challenges facing other internal security organizations. In practical terms, this means members of the prison service may quit to join the Police and Border Guard Board, the Rescue Board, or the military.

Varro Vooglaid (EKRE) said that foreign prisoners might increase domestic security problems, which could mean more work for the Internal Security Service (ISS), especially considering prisoners might have visitors from elsewhere.

"I'm afraid this money will have to come at the expense of other areas of internal security," Vooglaid said, adding that background checks and other security measures will need to be taken.

Pakosta stated that all potential costs have been thoroughly analyzed and that Estonian taxpayers will not bear any extra burden.

The agreement between Estonia and Sweden, signed in June, stipulates that 600 prisoners will be housed in Tartu Prison at a rate of €8,500 per inmate per month, paid by Sweden to Estonia.

The topic has also surfaced at the ongoing Tartu coalition talks between Isamaa and the Reform Party, following last month's local elections. Kaspar Kokk, chairman of Isamaa's Tartu district, said his party's concerns on the matter remain unanswered.

"Unfortunately, Tartu has been left in a trailing position by the [national] government, and the best we could negotiate locally with our future coalition partner was that if any negative issues arise with these foreign prisoners, Tartu will immediately propose to the government that the rental contract be terminated early. Fortunately for Tartu, this option does exist within the contract," Kokk said.

Sitting mayor Urmas Klaas (Reform) said the city government also wants to take part in the Riigikogu legal committee discussions on the issue, ahead of the bill's second reading. He explained that this would also "raise issues from the standpoint of Tartu residents and get answers."

The main concerns according to Klaas were that the prison would be secure enough that there was no chance of a prison breakout, and that "the presence of possible prisoners should not bring to Tartu any contingent that might lower the city's level of safety."

Lukas, at one point mentioned as a possible new Tartu mayor, concurred, adding that "We haven't discussed these matters, and as a Tartu resident, I have to say that people of Tartu were simply ignored."

Regarding local sentiment, residents of Tartu interviewed by ERR expressed varying views on the prospect of bringing foreign prisoners to the city.

"It doesn't bother me at all. If they're in prison and in a secure environment, why should I object? The state earns more revenue. I trust the state; I've got nothing against it," said one resident, Lukas.

Another, Hilja, expressed greater concern, stating, "The arrival of the prisoners is frightening. We already have so many foreigners, and if they come, their families will also visit. I don't like it. The Riigikogu should think this through, because there's already too much violence."

A third, Hannas, was in the middle, saying: "I'm neutral about it. I don't have enough data to say what might happen, but I'm confident that the Estonian prison service can keep these 600 prisoners behind bars just as safely as the others already there."

The scheme was conceived as Estonia's low cell occupancy rate, particularly in Tartu, made it possible to rent out prison space to countries experiencing overcrowding issues. At the plan's early stage, the U.K. and The Netherlands were also mentioned as potential participants.

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