Skopje, 26 September 2025 (MIA) – The resocialization rate of prisoners is relatively low, said head of the Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions, Aleksandar Pandov, pointing out that the staff currently working on resocialization in prisons is well-trained and prepared, but unfortunately very limited in number. 

According to Pandov, viewed through the prism of the number of returnees in prisons, currently two-thirds of the prisoners are returnees.

"The resocialization rate of prisoners is relatively low. Viewed through the prism of how many returnees we have, I think that for 2023, I have not received any data for 2024, somewhere around 67-68 percent of prisoners in Macedonia were returnees. This means that we have no resocialization rate or a very low one," Pandov said in response to reporters' questions ahead of Friday's public debate on a draft law amending the Law on the Execution of Sanctions. 

Pandov said some prisons are not understaffed, but the Idrizovo Prison, for example, has wards where several hundred prisoners only get one person for resocialization.

"There are standards in place, the ratio should be 30 to 50. There are prisons where that is the ratio, but not in Idrizovo. Recruitment is on hold now, but after the local elections we will employ ten new people in the resocialization section in Idrizovo," said Pandov. 

According to Pandov, another issue is revival of prison economies, regarding which he said efforts and steps are being made in that direction with prison directors.

Steps are being taken in this regard, but according to Pandov, not everything can be changed overnight and work will continue in the coming years.

"What we inherited was a very bad situation, we had security risks, now they have been overcome, but we are working on this and on probation and on several fronts, we are working to move things forward, and they have moved. Things should, and must, and can be much better," Pandov said.

Photo: MIA