The People of Solothurn Decide on a Prison Construction for 120 Million
Published: Sunday, Oct 1st 2023, 08:39
Updated At: Friday, Oct 13th 2023, 14:12
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On October 22nd, the citizens of Solothurn will vote on the construction of a new central prison with 130 cells in Deitingen/Flumenthal. The new building, costing 120 million francs, will replace the outdated prisons in Solothurn and Olten. The cantonal council approved the project in June with 64 votes in favour and 20 against. The Swiss government will contribute 18.2 million francs to the total cost of the new prison. The government of Solothurn needs more and up-to-date cells to meet the requirements of a secure and lawful deprivation of liberty. The SVP opposes the new prison, calling it a "luxury prison" and claiming that the mostly foreign inmates will receive a "all-inclusive package". The new prison, measuring 156 metres in length and 20,600 square metres in floor area, will be built north of the existing prison near the A1 motorway in Deitingen. If the people vote yes, the new prison could be operational by 2029. The sale of the land of the two existing prisons in Solothurn and Olten is expected to bring in 9.5 million francs. Over a period of 40 years, the investment and operating costs of the new prison are estimated to be 23% cheaper than if the old prisons were renovated. The operating costs of the new prison are estimated to be 28.6 million francs per year.
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