The hope of receiving free assistance in obtaining Italian citizenship seems to be fading for Italian-Brazilians.
Since January 1st, the fee of 600 Euros For each applicant for Italian citizenship, it became mandatory. Many low-income Italian-Brazilians considered resorting to free legal assistance, a right guaranteed by the Italian Constitution. However, the depletion of funds thwarted this expectation.
In a press release, Congressional Forensic Organization (OCF) reported that “across the country (Italy), funds for payments have been exhausted since October.”
The statement highlights not only the resource crisis, but also its side effects: the lack of funds has led many lawyers to withdraw from the lists of defenders of the less favored.
Depletion of funds and withdrawal of lawyers
The OCF also expressed great concern about the impasse in the payment of fees to lawyers who provide free assistance services — in different areas.
“The Congressional Forensic Body expresses great concern about the news coming from various forums about the impasse in the payment of fees to lawyers who assisted people benefiting from free legal assistance paid for by the State,” says the note.
The lack of resources not only harms the beneficiaries of the system, but also discourages professionals from continuing to offer this service.
“Several lawyers, in fact, asked to be excluded from the lists of registered public defenders, and this is even more serious for lawyers in office”
With the funding crisis, access to Italian citizenship through free legal assistance is becoming increasingly compromised.
Without new sources of income, low-income Italian-Brazilians may face even more difficulties in securing legal recognition.
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