An unprecedented proposal has attracted attention in the south of Santa Catarina. The mayor of Big Stones, Agnaldo Filippi proposes granting citizenship to all Italians who wish to live and invest in the city – with around 5 thousand inhabitants.
“The proposal is to give citizenship to Italians. We know that Brazilian citizenship is the responsibility of the Federal Government. We want to awaken the Italian community, through public policies, to suddenly become interested in investing here in Pedras Grandes”, comments the mayor.
The idea is for the city hall to help Italians in their search for Brazilian citizenship. Furthermore, the mayor will propose to the City Council the granting of the title of 'Pedrasgrandense citizen' to Italians who are related to the first immigrants. As well as a Gemellaggio, partnership with other cities is sought by the city hall.
“The right to acquire citizenship comes after 10 years of living in Brazil. The municipality cannot provide it, but we can fight and help to try to grant citizenship, through legal instruments, from Itamaraty, among others”, projects the mayor.
Infrastructure for investors
The City Hall intends to offer benefits and incentives for Italian investors. Such as offering infrastructure for the installation of new ventures and the installation of new industrial areas. In addition to ease in purchasing housing.
“We will seek to create public policies to encourage new investments in Pedras Grandes in the commercial, industrial, tourism and value-added agriculture sectors. In all areas of our economy. We want to create a link, especially with the Veneto region in Italy, to seek and encourage this partnership,” explains the mayor.
Based on some cities around the world that offer housing in exchange for preserving historic homes, the idea is that Pedras Grandes City Hall attracts Italians, mainly, to restoration projects for old houses. The objective is to preserve the history and culture of the city that was the cradle of Italian colonization in the south of SC
“We have always asked Italy to recognize our right to obtain citizenship. Now it will be the opposite, that is, we offer them our citizenship because we know that our origins are the same”, comments Agnaldo.
Pedras Grandes is between the mountains and the coast
The city located between Serra do Rio do Rastro and the coast. It is close to BR-101 and the Port of Imbituba. Furthermore, investments from the State government will improve road access, such as the agreement for the paving of the Italian Immigration Highway that connects the center of Pedras Grandes with Azambuja, worth R$15 million.
Thus connecting the district, the cradle of colonization, with Urussanga and Rodovia SC-390 (Rodovia Serramar). The highway was one of the first in the south of SC, where the Italians headed to the places they would colonize. This is where the agricultural production of the region that is part of the Goethe Grape Valleys flows today.
“If there are resources available to invest elsewhere in the world other than in Italy, let the Italian consider Big Stones. In addition to our region with Nova Veneza, Treviso, Criciúma among other cities that were born from the Imperial Colony of Azambuja”, concludes the mayor. (Ndmais)
