Italian lawyers could receive financial bonuses if they successfully assist their clients in agreeing to voluntarily return to their countries of origin, under a proposal included in the government’s latest security bill.
The measure, put forward by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, will be reviewed by the lower house of parliament this week after passing the upper house following a contentious debate.
The government has allocated €246,000 this year for the incentive scheme, with funding set to increase in 2027 and 2028. Lawyers who support voluntary repatriation cases will receive a payment only once the individual has returned home. While the legislative bill does not specify the exact amount, Italian media estimates suggest it could be around €615 per case.
The proposal also includes provisions to remove access to state-funded legal aid for migrants challenging deportation orders.
Italy’s national bar council said it had not been consulted, while criminal lawyers’ representatives warned that legal professionals should not be financially incentivised based on case outcomes. The magistrates’ union also expressed concern that the measure could weaken judicial protections.
Meanwhile, Italy has accelerated transfers of migrants to a centre in Gjader, Albania, following new European Parliament measures aimed at facilitating returns to “safe” countries.
The centre, part of Italy’s wider return policy, has seen its population rise from around 20 people to approximately 90 in recent weeks, according to an Italian interior ministry source.
