Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini pushed his anti-immigration decree through the Parliament six months after he made a promise to tighten the immigration law. As explained by the League party leader, only those misusing state benefits should be afraid, while a protection of refugees remains in place.
However, Italy will still award asylum to war refugees or victims of political persecution. “I will happily offer refugee status to women and children fleeing from warzones, but not to anyone else, the feast is over,” Salvini added.
According to him, at least 100,000 asylum seekers lived at public expense in expensive hotels and watched TV all day long.
The new system makes asylum decisions more transparent and quicker. Migrants will stay in large immigration centers in the future, where it will be easier to register them.
