A STUDY on the social perceptions of Greek Cypriots revealed that concerns over war with Turkey, environmental and economic disasters and foreign workers have dropped since 2001, but fears over personal safety have risen.
The study, conducted by the Cyprus College Centre of Applied Research every two years, looked at the fears and concerns of 603 people between July and August this year.
On personal safety, 28 per cent of Cypriots are worried that either they or a member of their family will fall victim to crime, a three per cent rise compared with 2001.
Researchers also noted a three per cent rise, from nine to 12 per cent, in the number of people who don’t feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhoods at night.
The small rise in concerns for personal safety is mitigated by the results of the study which reveal that people still feel Cyprus is a safe place in which to live.
The level of personal safety felt varies from region to region, with the Paphos district showing a stark difference from other areas. In Paphos, 42 per cent of citizens fear they may fall victim to a crime, the level of insecurity in Limassol is just above the average, and Nicosia citizens consider their town to be the safest place on the island.
Older people and women fear more for their personal safety, according to the study.
The relatively smooth path of European Union accession and the lack of tension between Cyprus and Turkey appear to have paid off as Cypriots have experienced a gradual fall in their fear of war with Turkey over the past four years. Compared to 54 per cent of Cypriots fearing war with Turkey in 1999 and 34 per cent in 2001, the number has now dropped to 31 per cent in 2003.
Only one in four (26 per cent) of Cypriots believes an environmental disaster could happen in Cyprus in the next 10 years. This figure was almost double in 2001.
Despite the worsening situation of the economy, fewer people fear a financial crisis in the next ten years (34 per cent, compared with 44 per cent in 2001).
A significant proportion of the population, 42 per cent, were concerned about possible disturbance and conflict with foreign workers over the next ten years. However, despite the rise in number of foreign workers, the number of concerned citizens fell from 51 per cent in 2001 and 1999 to 42 per cent this year. People in the Paphos district were the most concerned.
The study also revealed that the sections of society usually least concerned with foreign workers, such as the more educated or those in a higher socio-economic bracket, showed a level of concern that was higher than average.
