Club operator was forced to cancel the event for the Indian delegation: “I demand 600 thousand francs from the Davos community”

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Tarek Elmahdy, 47, stands in front of a pile of broken glass. The operator of Platzhirsch restaurant, in a prime location in the heart of Davos, had big plans. During the current WEF week, the trader was required to accommodate the Indian government delegation. Ministers and other senior members of the Indian government were expected to hold official receptions at the summit. In September, Elmahdy issued a permit for the necessary renovations and received the green light from the building department three weeks later. Temporarily. “It was always like this in previous years,” says Elmahdy in his interview with Blick.

The objection period for the construction permit is 30 days. “After the deadline, no one came forward, so we started organizing.” Elmahdy is buying televisions, signing contracts with chefs from the UK, hiring staff and commissioning event companies to create all the interiors. Costs: approximately 135,000 francs.

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“Davos must pay the price”

Then came the shock at the end of December. “The final confirmation added that I needed the host’s permission to hold the event.” However, he has been in conflict with his landlord for years over the rent reduction issue and is in court. “I know they want me to leave.”

Spicy: Elmahdy sees this addition to the community as a trap. “It was only through nepotism that the owners managed to get the community to add this addition and thus ruin me.” A very serious accusation!

What’s more: In addition to the 135,000 francs paid, Elmahdy now has the organizer who sold the event to the Indian government. “He demands from me half a million francs for the expenses and the damage to his reputation among the Indians.” Elmahdy, on the other hand, sees himself at fault. “I demand that the City of Davos pay the 600,000 francs it cost me to include in the permit.”

There is a danger of bankruptcy

There is no understanding in Davos of Elmahdy’s demands. The municipality is confident that it acted correctly and wrote in response to Blick’s question: “After the provisional approval was granted, the landowner clearly informed the municipality of Davos that he did not consent to the temporary project. This meant that a key requirement of the project requiring approval had not been met.” Therefore, the Municipality of Davos issued a definitive construction permit, provided that the written consent of the land owner was submitted. In the end, he says, “The interim project could not be implemented because approval was not submitted.”

The actions of the authorities were also supported by the administrative court in the first evaluation. “This is why the Davos community is comfortable with the relevant demands.”

The story is not over yet for Tarek Elmahdy. On the contrary, he wants to continue the fight. Because: “If I cannot get compensation for the damage I have caused, I will be threatened with bankruptcy.”

Source :Blick