The Restaurant of Mihal Kokëdhima demolished after the incident with Eugenio Galdón

The Restaurant owned by Mihal Kokëdhima while being demolished 

 The National Construction Inspectorate demolished on Wednesday the Bar-Restaurant in the resort area of ​​Porto-Palermo in Vlora following the owner's incident (Mihal Kokëdhima) with the Spanish millionaire Eugenio Galdon and members of his family and his Albanian companions.

The Construction Inspectorate said the facility was unlicensed while the State Cadastre authorities confirmed that the building had been disqualified a few days before from the legalization process. The demolition of the building following the incident with tourists has raised questions about state authorities' earlier inaction on this illegal construction.

The National Territory Protection Inspectorate began demolishing Wednesday morning the Bar-Restaurant "Panorama" in the resort area of ​​Porto-Palermo, in Vlora. Through an official statement, the Inspectorate said that "about 2,000 square meters, built in one of the most beautiful coastal areas of Albania, results to be illegal, while the venture used also the beach".

The demolition comes days after the owner of the facility was violently confronted with a group of Spanish tourists and their Albanian companions. The footage of a video of the incident sparked strong reactions in the Albanian public and beyond.

Mihal Kokëdhima, who is currently in custody in Vlora Police, is charged with "intimidation", "other damage" and "property destruction" during the incident with 5 Spanish tourists and 2 Albanian companions following a debate over the quality of service at his restaurant.

The Restaurant Panorama at the side of the National Road

Kokëdhima denied the charges in the Court. Meanwhile, today's intervention of the National Inspectorate for the demolition of the building raised questions in the Albanian public opinion as to why the resulting illegal construction for several years had not been demolished before.

Leaders of the State Cadastre Agency told VOA that in 2015 a self-declaration was made by the entrepreneur in order to benefit from the legalization process. According to them, last weekend the National Construction Inspectorate requested to the Agency to disqualify it from this process because of its construction near the Sea and the National Road.