Prostitutes from the southeastern city of Lyon sent a fax to the French government Wednesday to complain about unfair competition from immigrants from eastern Europe.
"This has been going on for a year. We have written to the governor, we have written to the prosecutor, but we have got nothing. The state must do something to stop this invasion," said one of the prostitutes, who gave her name as Evelyne, at a news conference.
The 500 prostitutes established in Lyon say that the scores of young women who have arrived recently from eastern Europe are protected by the Albanian mafia and have taken away 80 percent of their earnings.
"They are younger and fresher," Evelyne said.
"If the French government didn't give them papers, they wouldn't come here. How can they get visas when they have no jobs and no homes?" said another prostitute, Michele -- LYON (AFP)
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