AUGUST 15, 2001

Camp Erotica evicted from Hungaroring

THE legalized red light district of Camp Erotica, which caused a minor scandal at the 2000 Hungarian Grand Prix, will not be repeated next weekend - although the annual pilgrimage of prostitutes from all over the old Eastern Bloc is likely to continue unabated.

Last year the local authorities capitulated under the deluge and allowed a local entrepreneur to set up Camp Erotica to provide a hygienic haven for the trade to be carried out. It is thought that the field full of vans and tents did not quite tally with Formula 1's glamorous and sophisticated image, however, despite the officials' justification.

"During the race every year, we get extreme numbers of tourists, and they have a demand for this basic service," they said. "There has been pressure from police. So the local government chose the smaller evil."

Although the prostitutes have been evicted for this year, however, the Ôsexual no-favors zone' exists only in a 15-meter radius of the circuit, meaning that business is likely to continue unabated.