This initiative is a step towards the debureaucratization of public administration.
The process of liquidation was carried out in stages. In 2025, amendments were made to the existing codes and regulatory legal acts, after which the first group of settlement colonies was closed.
On January 28, 2026, a decision was made to close the second group of institutions, including colonies No. 26, 42, 43, 44, 45, and 52.
The legislative basis for this reform was the law dated July 31, 2025, No. 181, which excluded settlement colonies from the Criminal Executive Code.
The Ministry of Justice emphasized that the reform is aimed at a more modern and efficient approach to managing correctional institutions, without duplicating functions with probation and with a more rational use of the state budget, while ensuring the protection of the rights of employees of the liquidated institutions.
