Prostitution in the center of Athens has grown to uncontrollable sizes, turning into a booming underground economy with a turnover approaching that of soft drugs. It is indicative the fact that only illegal profits from the historic center of Athens exceed million euro annually. This is an astronomical amount for the City of Athens, which loses huge amounts of municipal fees and taxes, as most brothels are illegal.
From "Sofokleous" str to "Metaksourgio" square there are brothels operating, out of which only 7 have a permit. The competent authorities sounded the alarm because due to the lack of preventive measures and medical control there has been a boom of infectious diseases. The problem is further exacerbated because most women work under the conditions of undeclared work, without having the required for this health records. The Athens municipality have "given up" because it is unable to control the illegal brothels hat are "sprouting like mushrooms", while the "shutters" that they put periodically to these brothels cost them additional expenses.
Meanwhile, older hotels in downtown Athens have been turned into brothels, while in recent years as sites offering "paid love" are also presented the so-called "studios" that are presented as "Fitness Centres".
These are small houses, without the red lanterns at the entrance, offering "services" almost exclusively to Greeks, at much higher prices than those of the "ranks". Thanks to the legislative framework they are untouchable because they are not listed in any law, they open doors one after another and actually replace the brothels. The only government body that can control them, is the police.
So their owners, taking advantage of the legal vacuum, can open them with a simple application for setting up a business filed in the tax office. Therefore, the municipality is preparing proposals for changes in the legislative framework. We close one down, two more open" notes Ms. Papahela, adding that even in cases where arrests are made after several hours the detainees are released, as these crimes are qualified as misdemeanors.
