Saturday, six thirty in the morning and Analisa leaves Belgrade, capital of Serbia, heading to Milan. It will be 14 pm in a van with five other Brazilians.
Analisa, represented here by a fictitious name because she fears reprisals, is just one of hundreds of Brazilians seeking to circumvent the restriction on Brazilians entering Italy.
The country banned flights from Brazil and the entry of travelers who passed through Brazilian territory 14 days before arriving in Italy.
Analisa dreams of obtaining Italian citizenship and trying to regain the job she left in a city near Milan, shortly after the start of the pandemic.
Serbia, in southeastern Europe, is a new route for Brazilians trying to enter Italy. Tourists are welcome there. Even a free vaccine against Covid-19 (from China Synopharm) is offered by the hosts to those who wish to stay in the country for a while.
“Was it worth it? Undoubtedly. Would I do it again? I don't know. It was a big investment to do the right things”, says Analisa.
According to her, companies from Serbia are taking people to Italy who have not undergone quarantine or been tested for Covid-19.
The woman from Paraná spent approximately R$ 19 on airfare, COVID-19 tests, accommodation, and illegal transportation. In Italy, she will also pay an advisor to assist with her Italian citizenship application – another €3.500 (approximately R$ 23).
The Brazilian left the interior of Paraná, took a flight in São Paulo to Doha, Qatar, and then headed to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. “Exhausting and expensive", she says.
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