ATHENS (Reuters) - A row over sex tourism has erupted in Athens, with the powerful Church accusing the city council of planning to license extra brothels to meet increased demand during next year's Olympics.
Athens hit back at the Greek Orthodox Church Tuesday and said it was merely planning to tighten up the laws regulating prostitution ahead of the games, when hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to flock to the city.
"The city council is not increasing the number of brothels," the council said in a statement.
Previous Olympic hosts such as Atlanta in 1996 saw a boom in the sex industry during the games with strip clubs and red light districts packed with visitors.
Prostitution and brothels are legal in Greece and prostitutes undergo regular health checks and pay social security.
Athens hit back at the Greek Orthodox Church Tuesday and said it was merely planning to tighten up the laws regulating prostitution ahead of the games, when hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to flock to the city.
"The city council is not increasing the number of brothels," the council said in a statement.
Previous Olympic hosts such as Atlanta in 1996 saw a boom in the sex industry during the games with strip clubs and red light districts packed with visitors.
Prostitution and brothels are legal in Greece and prostitutes undergo regular health checks and pay social security.