Senator Francesca La Marca (PD) once again denounced serious flaws in Italian consular services. During a meeting held on February 4th in Toronto, Canada, the parliamentarian stated that the poor service affects thousands of citizens, especially in Central and North America.
Alongside Consul General Luca Zelioli and Consul Giulia Romani, La Marca described the situation as "unsustainable," mainly due to the use of the digital platform. Prenot@miAccording to her, the system has flaws that prevent the scheduling of essential services, such as the renewal of passports and identity cards.
Staff shortages worsen the situation.
The senator stated that consulates are facing overload. The number of citizens registered with AIRE — Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero (Registry of Italians Residing Abroad) — is growing, while the staff remains reduced. In Toronto, for example, there are only two permanent employees to serve approximately 90.000 Italians.
“This system is deeply inefficient and we can no longer ignore it,” La Marca stated. She emphasized that she has been pressing Minister Antonio Tajani on the matter, but has not yet received a response from the government.
Lack of response and legal obstacles
Budgetary issues were also discussed during the meeting. La Marca demanded more clarity regarding the use of extra-budgetary resources. obtained through the Strengthening Consular Services Act. He also requested an update on the situation of honorary consular offices in cities such as London, Windsor, Niagara and Hamilton, which remain without vice-consuls.
The parliamentarian also lamented the rejection of a bill aimed at strengthening the honorary consular network. "It's a disgrace that this government rejected my bill," she declared.
Global problem
Consular precariousness is not limited to Canada. In Argentina, the deputy Franco Tirelli (MAIE) also met on the same day, February 4th, with the Italian ambassador in Buenos Aires, Fabrizio Nicoletti, to discuss similar issues. The meeting addressed access to Italian citizenship, the ongoing referendum, and the need to improve services provided to Italians residing in the country.
These episodes show that the problem is not limited to Brazil. Italian citizens scattered around the world face similar challenges. Staff shortages, technological failures, and slow consular processes are recurring issues.
