Popular news portal Business Insider has published list of the most dangerous cities in Europe... It was compiled using statistics compiled by the consulting company Mercer, which publishes the Quality of Life Index every year. It helps multinational companies and other employers compensate employees for their risks when traveling internationally.
Mercer looked at crime rates in 450 cities in Europe and then compiled a list of 230 cities that are the safest for workers. It may come as a surprise to some that some of the largest and richest cities in Western Europe were not ranked among the safest, but this is mainly due to a number of terrorist attacks or threats of such over the past year. Other criteria were taken into account, such as petty crimes or threats to national security. And Business Insider selected the cities at the bottom of the Mercer list for its ranking.
Here top 10 European cities where you should definitely not go for the New Year holidays, if you do not want to exchange your money for the tickling opportunity to be robbed, or even killed.
10. Bucharest, Romania
Organized crime is rare in Romania's capital, but the city is ranked 79th on the list of dangerous European cities due to widespread corruption and petty crime. In British newspapers, Ferentari is known as the most dangerous area in terms of crime due to frequent thefts, car thefts and other illegal actions. The Bucharest police have different information: in sector 5, to which Ferentari belongs, the least frequent crimes are committed in the city. But tourists are unlikely to want to find out from their own experience who is right: the British or the local police.
9. Zagreb, Croatia
Corruption pulls the city down - it took 79th place in terms of the safety of life in European cities. Visitors should beware of pickpockets, but crimes against tourists in the city are rare.
7. Riga, Latvia
In addition to anti-immigration protests, Riga is ranked 82nd in the list of the most dangerous European countries in 2016 thanks to its thriving organized crime and developed sex business.
7. Rome, Italy
The Eternal City fell to 82nd place after it and other Italian cities were declared a high threat of terrorist attacks like the one in Paris last November.
6. Madrid, Spain
The Spanish capital is ranked 84th on the Mercer safety charts due to public unrest as a result of unpopular austerity measures. These measures have led to an increase in the unemployment rate, especially among the Madrid youth. But in Spain, the best of all European countries, the situation is with healthcare.
5. Budapest, Hungary
The city is ranked # 93 on the Index as the influx of refugees has sparked massive social unrest. Chaos at train stations and protests on city streets have led Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to curb the flow of migrants through the country.
4. Sofia, Bulgaria
The high level of social unrest lowered the city to 118th place. Bulgaria is the poorest member of the European Union, and its residents are constantly protesting against cuts in social benefits and pension benefits, as well as against corruption.
3. Athens, Greece
After extensive and lengthy austerity measures, poverty and crime reached their climax in Athens. In addition, the recent political and economic crisis in Greece has led to violent protests not only in Athens, but also in other Greek cities. Not improving the security situation in Athens and the influx of hundreds of thousands of migrants.
2. Belgrade, Serbia
Violent crime is rare in the city, but Belgrade ranks 131st in the ranking of the most dangerous and safe cities in Europe due to widespread corruption and bribery, as well as theft and vandalism.
1. Kiev, Ukraine
The capital of the country is ranked 189th in the Quality of Life Index and is the most dangerous country in Europe due to civil unrest and deteriorating relations with Russia. Although the UK Foreign Office describes Kiev as a “calm” city compared to the Crimean region, Kiev is rife with theft, vandalism and violent protests over a dysfunctional political and social environment. Hundreds of people were killed or injured during these protests.
In compiling its rating, Mercer was guided by data for the entire 2015, thus the recent attacks in Europe were not taken into account. But they will be taken into account when compiling the rating of the quality of life next year.