the deputy Vicente Caropreso (PSDB), during a meeting of the Santa Catarina/Italy Parliamentary Front, held this Wednesday (24), asked for the State's agility in concluding the process that will result in the installation of a consular representation of Italy in Florianópolis.
At the meeting, the executive secretary of International Articulation, Juliano Froehner, said that the process is in the final phase and that the goal is to set up the consular office in the second half of the year.
The structure would initially be a “Sportello Consular”, diplomatic representation linked to the Consulate General of Italy in Curitiba.
The deputy's concern is justified. Conversations with the Italian government to install a consular structure in the capital of Santa Catarina were led by the then consul general of Italy in Curitiba, for Paraná and Santa Catarina, salvaVenetian tower, who left the role in March.
On a temporary basis, the role was taken over by regent Maria Salamandra, who was already part of Savaltore's diplomatic team. She will remain until the new consul for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
“The arrival of this office is the first step. This is something we have been seeking since 2018. The Santa Catarina government needs to speed up and complete this process, so that the change in the management of the consulate does not harm this entire construction. The State must definitively sign this agreement with the Italian government, offering the necessary structure. Ideally, this should be done before the new consul takes office so as not to delay the process,” said Caropreso.
Meanwhile, Juliano Froehner said that he will focus his efforts in this regard and that conversations are well underway.
He said that the government is looking for a place to house the consular representation offices that already exist in the State and others in one place.
The goal is for the consular representation and the chamber of commerce of each country interested in institutional, commercial, technological and cultural exchange with Santa Catarina to be together.
When citing about 100 thousand citizens of Santa Catarina with dual Brazilian and Italian citizenship, deputy Caropreso highlighted the relevance of this consular representation. “We are the second Brazilian state with the largest number of Italian descendants. It is fair and necessary that we have this instrument to improve service to Italian-Santa Catarina residents and, mainly, to boost commercial and cultural relations”, he highlighted. (ALESC)
