The debate around foreign nationals living in Cyprus who are involved in criminal or illegal activity has returned forcefully to the public arena. As so often happens, this discussion risks slipping either into easy populism or into awkward silence. Cyprus, as a small state governed by the rule of law and facing significant geopolitical and social pressures, cannot afford either oversimplification or tolerance of illegality.
The first and most fundamental point is this: the rule of law does not discriminate. Anyone who commits an offence, whether Cypriot or foreign, must be held to account in exactly the same way. Equality before the law is not an ideological luxury. It is a condition for social cohesion. When the impression is created that some people are “outside the law” or “outside the system”, public trust in institutions is undermined. In that context, the President’s statement following the recent incidents in Larnaca, that foreign nationals who break the law will be arrested and deported, is problematic.
At the same time, Cyprus cannot ignore the fact that migration pressure, particularly in recent years, has exceeded the state’s capacity. Delays in asylum procedures, inadequate oversight, and grey areas in employment and housing create environments in which unlawful behaviour can take root. But the response cannot be collective blame, nor fear-driven rhetoric.
Where the law provides for deportation or the withdrawal of residence permits following serious offences, the state has a duty to apply these procedures without delay and without political interference. Not to “send a message”, but to restore the meaning of justice. At the same time, it must ensure that no one is punished arbitrarily and that each case is examined individually, with full respect for human rights.
The real challenge for Cyprus is not simply the punishment of illegality, but its prevention. Without integration policies, language learning, effective oversight of the labour market and support for local communities carrying the burden, the problem will continue to repeat itself. Security is not built only through police patrols, but through institutions that function properly.
At a time when society polarises easily and simplistic answers find an audience, Cyprus needs something far more difficult: calm, law and consistency. No tolerance for crime. No targeting of people because of their origin. Only in this way can both security and democracy be protected.