It is intended to stimulate election stress among Democratic supporters that they cannot recognize U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, but it is unclear whether it will work.
According to CNN on the 19th (local time), the city of Ololy, on the Italian island of Sardinia, recently opened a migration promotion website targeting Americans.
On the website, the English phrase “Are you tired of international politics? Do you seek a balanced life while ensuring new opportunities? It’s time to start your journey from Sardinia’s paradise to Europe.”
It will then inform you that you can find a house in Ololai for at least 1 euro, and that you will provide assistance at every step you need, including visits, contracts and administrative procedures.
“I can’t explicitly mention the name of the president-elect of the United States, but we all know that the reason why so many Americans want to leave the country is ‘he’,” Olly’s mayor, Francesco Columbu, said in a CNN interview. “We created a website to meet the demand for migration after the U.S. presidential election.”
“We are focusing on Americans more than anyone else,” he said, stressing that he plans to provide convenience to Americans, including fast-track procedures.
He also claimed that he had received more than 38,000 inquiries until recently, most of which were from the United States.
The number of residents in Olali has been reduced from 2,250 at one point to 1,150 due to the outflow of population to the city and a drop in the birth rate.
In response, city authorities launched a program in 2018 that allows empty private houses to move and live for as little as 1 euro.
The program has been dubbed the so-called ‘1 euro house’ and has been introduced as one of the efforts of local governments to combat local extinction.
However, depending on the size and condition of the house, the price varies widely, and in the case of a house that can be moved in immediately with all the furniture, the amount of money to be paid increases up to 100,000 euros.
From 2018 to date, only 10 cases of homes actually being sold for one euro have been reported, CNN said.
JENNIFER KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
