Serbia's Expulsion Orders and Corruption: Bureaucratic Violence at Europe's Margins
In the family camp of Krnjača, on the outskirts of Belgrade, a young Moroccan man explains that he has received a Serbian expulsion order. Having arrived in the country several months ago, he recounts his arrest. His story is not unique. Expulsion orders are increasingly common in Serbia, targeting individuals on the move or waiting for international protection. His testimony sheds light on a broader strategy of border control and deterrence unfolding at Europe’s edge.
Practices on the Ground: Arbitrary Expulsions and Police Corruption
While Serbia has adopted legislation aligned with international standards, the implementation of these procedures is inconsistent and frequently abusive.
According to Asylum Information Database (AIDA), 8,258 expulsion orders were issued in 2023, many concerning nationals from conflict-affected countries.
Syria: 2,737
Afghanistan: 1,193
Somalia: 102
Palestine: 73
This stands in stark contrast to the 193 asylum applications lodged that year, and the total of only 196 asylum obtained between 2008 and 2021, a recognition rate of just 5.3%. This highlights the largely ineffective nature of the Serbian asylum system.
More importantly, these figures raise serious questions about compliance with non-refoulement obligations. Expulsion orders are routinely issued without proper legal procedures:
Decisions are written in Serbian Cyrillic, with no translation or explanation of rights;
Individuals rarely have access to legal aid;
Expulsions are carried out even before appeals are processed, as appeals lack automatic suspension effect
On the ground, the young man with an expulsion order told us he had been taken to the police station. There, officers demanded several hundred euros in exchange for his release. These demands are made to people already in extreme financial difficulty, who often rely on the little money sent by family or earned through informal, precarious work.
His story reveals more than bureaucratic dysfunction: it points to a system of systematic corruption and arbitrary control, where people on the move are not seen as rights-bearing individuals, but as sources of income for abusive authorities.
Conclusion
While Serbia formally respects international asylum standards, its expulsion regime operates as a tool of repression and deterrence. Expulsion orders are used not only to remove but also to exhaust, intimidate, and extract money from vulnerable individuals. Combined with violent pushbacks and limited access to legal aid, Serbia’s border policies reflect a larger European system of externalised migration control, where rights are suspended in favour of security logic.
Documenting these practices and amplifying the voices of those affected remains crucial. Human rights cannot be optional at borders.
Words by Gaëlle G
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