FOREIGNERS are involved in 40 per cent of all serious crimes, and 30 per cent of road deaths in Cyprus, the House Human Rights Committee head yesterday.

The figures were given to deputies by the assistant chief of police.

“It is by now completely clear that a large number of the serious crimes committed in the Republic of Cyprus are committed by foreigners.” said Stelios Ieronymidis, the vice chairman of the Committee.

He went on to say that the Commission had received statistical information from the police on crime, serious crime and traffic accidents which occur in Cyprus.  He said that the police plan to go ahead with the publication of leaflets in foreign languages, especially Asian languages, on vehicular and pedestrian safety.

“The human rights of economic migrants within the EU are likely problems which are created in the local communities from the concentration of economic migrants in various parts of Cyprus.” said Ieronymidis referencing the economic basis of much crime.

As regards many of the charges made to the commission by people not members of any governmental organisation on the subject of foreigners and crime, Ieronymidis said the Committee intends to invite the police to discuss this very specialised subject and the ways in which the charges might be confronted. It characterised the charges as ‘very serious’.