Austrian brothel offers sex for free to protest high taxes

VIENNA, Austria -- An Austrian brothel is offering a summer special that competitors will find hard to match - free sex. Its owner says it's his way of protesting a tax squeeze.

"Effective immediately: Free Entrance! Free Drinks! Free Sex!" the Pascha bordello writes on its website.

The Oesterreich daily quotes owner Hermann Mueller as saying he will pay the women working for him to make up for the money they would normally get from clients. A woman answering the telephone at the establishment confirmed the offer Sunday. She refused to identify herself.

Prostitution in Austria is legal and regulated. Mueller, who runs other brothels in Germany and Austria, says he is pushing back against what he says is unfair taxation of nearly 4 million euros (over $5 million) in the past decade.