Saxon state parliament with debate on breakdown prison in Zwickau

The construction of the joint prison of Saxony and Thuringia in Zwickau-Marienthal, which has been accompanied by mishaps, is to continue in 2027. This was announced by Saxony's Finance Minister Christian Piwarz (CDU) in the state parliament in Dresden. Construction has been on hold since spring 2024 and made the headlines due to a cost explosion. It was originally due to be completed in 2019 and cost 150 million euros. It is now expected to cost 500 million euros. The prison should be ready for use at the beginning of 2030.

Finance Minister: "Big mess"

Piwarz did not hold back his displeasure. There had been serious and regrettable setbacks. The enormous delay and the significant increase in construction costs were "a big bummer". Nevertheless, the course of the project also shows that clients - whether private or public - are not immune to adversity and that problems can arise, especially in construction projects of this magnitude, that no one could or can fully foresee.

Saxony files lawsuit against former general planner

The minister referred to the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine, supply bottlenecks and an increase in energy and material costs, among other things. At the same time, more than 250 deficiencies had been identified. Saxony is suing the former general planner, initially seeking to reclaim fees from advance payments. An expert opinion should be available by the end of this year in the proceedings at Munich Regional Court. The contract for further construction work will be awarded in spring 2027.

Finance Minister does not see the construction as a symbol of failure

"The joint prison of Saxony and Thuringia is not a symbol of failure. Rather, it is a symbol of cooperation and responsibility," said Piwarz. Many speakers in the debate took a different view. The AfD parliamentary group had submitted a major interpellation with 108 questions. Several parliamentarians were convinced that the government's answer brought hardly anything new to light. The state parliament had already dealt with the issue several times.

By the time construction was halted, the shell of seven detention buildings, the work facilities, a multifunctional building with a visitor center and administration as well as a sports hall and the necessary infrastructure had been built.