Source: RTS Morning Program
Photo: RTS Morning Program
Video: RTS Morning Program

 

April 21, 2026 – The new security law in Italy has provoked sharp criticism from lawyers, judges, and the opposition. Specifically, the proposal of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to pay lawyers €615 if they persuade and send migrants back home. “Wild West – bounty on the head,” was just one of the statements heard in Italian public debate these days. The discussion in the lower house of parliament is scheduled for this week. On this occasion, Radoš Đurović, Director of the Asylum Protection Center, appeared on RTS Morning Program.

Radoš Đurović emphasized that the Italian government faces major problems with carrying out rapid returns in judicial procedure. Law has so far represented the most common barrier to Italy’s efforts, including attempts to transfer migrants to Albania and organize fast returns. He pointed out that the judiciary plays a significant role in the whole system and that the greatest safeguard against rashness is precisely the court.

Đurović stressed that the issue of law and justice is a fundamental one. He assessed that the proposal is deeply controversial because the role of a legal representative is to protect the client from rashness, whether the client is a migrant or someone else, from injustice, and from the possibility of violating regulations, laws, and human rights.

“If you offer material benefit to someone whose professional ethics forbid making compromises at the expense of the client, the role of the lawyer is essentially nullified. They come into conflict between interests and the oath they have taken, which is to uphold justice and protect the interests of the client they represent,” Đurović emphasized.

Italy is not the only country seeking new mechanisms to curb illegal migration. The United Kingdom has in the past undertaken similar measures, offering Western Balkan countries the acceptance of rejected asylum seekers. Đurović, however, believes that the solution lies in the speed and competence of the administration that conducts asylum procedures.

“For many years in Europe, in the name of speed and quick procedures, we have ignored fundamental institutional solutions. We would see that in many countries the administration handling asylum procedures is very slow and disorganized, and because of the failure to determine the validity of asylum claims, court procedures and delays follow. From practice I can say it is very important that officials who take asylum applications and determine whether someone is a refugee must be highly competent, as well as fast and efficient, and I would say that is the real key. When you have an efficient procedure, then you know whether someone is a refugee. If they are, then there is no doubt they should remain in the receiving country, because that is in accordance with the constitution and the law. However, if they are not, if they are irregular migrants who are there for economic or other reasons, then they receive a rejection and the rest of the system knows how to treat such a person. Now, most often in Europe, but I would also say in the Balkans, people are in an irregular position, which means their status is unclear. They are neither refugees nor economic migrants; we constantly move between saying they do not deserve to stay and saying they need help. Essentially, the law has very clearly defined who should be helped, and that is those whose lives are threatened by persecution in their country of origin. That is a narrow circle of people for whom, if the administration were efficient, we would quickly know and be able to help,” Đurović explained.

On the question of entry and violation of laws when migrants enter the country, the Director of the Asylum Protection Center reminded that entry is not the problem, and that if you are a refugee and enter even without a valid visa, you cannot be expelled if it is determined in the procedure that you have the right to asylum. However, if you are not, then you enter deportation proceedings, which have a limited duration. In that case everything is undertaken to remove the person, not necessarily to the country of origin, but possibly to a neighboring country from which they entered. These are readmission agreements, which all these countries have, but use very slowly and inefficiently. “Of course, the issue of solidarity also arises, and it cannot be expected that, for example, Italy, Spain, or Greece should bear the burden of all migration, while central or northern EU countries take no part of that burden. All these measures go in parallel, but I think that we must not, and in general Europe must not, depart from the basic laws and principles when it comes to this area of law and the protection of refugees,” Đurović emphasized.

Regarding the broader migration picture, Đurović does not expect a new wave toward the Balkans for now, but notes that migration as a phenomenon will not stop. The trend in Europe and America is clearly directed toward intensified efforts against migration. He stated that a possible escalation in Iran could bring new challenges. Đurović emphasized that in the case of serious destabilization of the Iranian state, the consequences would be visible primarily for the EU, and to some extent for the Balkan countries. He also stressed that the new Pact on Asylum and Migration will have a direct impact on our country.

“The new Pact on Asylum and Migration is supposed to start being applied from June this year. It is an EU pact, that is, new rules for asylum and migration, which will definitely directly affect us, because we are in the immediate neighborhood of the EU. That means there will be fast procedures for deciding on asylum applications at the EU borders with Western Balkan countries, which can lead to more intensive returns of people to our country or other countries, or to the retention of a larger number of people here or along the EU borders. Of course, it remains to be seen how all this will be implemented in practice. The Balkans are in a way the antechamber of the EU, and we are definitely affected by almost everything the EU undertakes in this regard,” Đurović concluded.

You can watch the full program at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i_e2kLHUU8