PASCOI AND OTHERS v. ROMANIA - 8675/06 (Judgment (Merits and Just Satisfaction) : Court (Fourth Section Committee)) [2016] ECHR 3 (07 January 2016)

In the case of Pășcoi and Others v. Romania,

The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:

          Vincent A. De Gaetano, President,
          Egidijus Kūris,
          Gabriele Kucsko-Stadlmayer, judges,
and Karen Reid, Section Registrar,

Having deliberated in private on 3 December 2015,

Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:

PROCEDURE

1. The case originated in applications against Romania lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on the various dates indicated in the appended table.

2. The applications were communicated to the Government.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

3. The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table.

4. The applicants complained of the non-enforcement or delayed enforcement of domestic decisions according to which the applicants were entitled to various pecuniary amounts and/or to have certain actions taken by State authorities in their favour. Some applicants also raised other complaints under various Articles of the Convention.

THE LAW

I. JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS

5. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.

II. AS TO THE LOCUS STANDI OF SOME APPLICANTS IN APPLICATION No. 41786/14

6. The Court notes that in application no. 41786/14 the applicants Dinu Chioreanu, Gheorghe Dobrotă, Dumitru Duminică, Ion Pantelimon, Rădulescu Răducan and Costică Vlad have not been parties in the domestic outstanding proceedings insofar as their cases had been disjoined from the main case.

The Court further observes that in the same application the file contains no document signed by Virgina Ghelt and Ionică Tudor in which they indicated their wish to lodge an application with the Court.

7. It follows that application no. 41786/14 is incompatible ratione personae with the provisions of the Convention within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) and must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 § 4 in respect of the eight applicants named above and indicated in the appended table (see Yavorovenko and Others v. Ukraine, no. 25663/02, §§ 19-21, 17 July 2014 and N.Z. v. Croatia, (dec.), no. 2140/13, § 24, 2 June 2015).

III. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION AND OF ARTICLE 1 OF PROTOCOL No. 1

8. The remaining applicants complained of the non-enforcement or the delayed enforcement of domestic decisions given in their favour. They relied, expressly or in substance, on Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and on Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention. Insofar as relevant, these Articles read as follows:

Article 6 § 1

“In the determination of his civil rights and obligations ... everyone is entitled to a fair ... hearing ... by a ... tribunal”

Article 1 of Protocol No. 1

“Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. No one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and by the general principles of international law.

The preceding provisions shall not, however, in any way impair the right of a State to enforce such laws as it deems necessary to control the use of property in accordance with the general interest or to secure the payment of taxes or other contributions or penalties.”

9. The Court reiterates that the execution of a judgment given by any court must be regarded as an integral part of a “hearing” for the purposes of Article 6. It also refers to its case-law concerning the non-enforcement or the delayed enforcement of final domestic judgments (see among many other authorities Hornsby v. Greece, no.18357/91, § 40, 19 March 1997).

10. The Court also observes that the decisions in the present applications ordered the relevant authorities to execute various obligations in kind or to pay the applicants certain amounts of money. The Court therefore considers that the decisions in question constitute “possessions” within the meaning of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention (see for instance the case of Foundation Hostel for Students of the Reformed Church and Stanomirescu v. Romania, nos. 2699/03 and 43597/07, § 69, 7 January 2014).

11. The Court firstly notes that in application no. 67634/11 part of the final domestic decision can no longer be enforced due to an objective impossibility; therefore the applicant’s non-enforcement complaint relating to reinstatement is to be dismissed as manifestly ill-founded (see Ciobanu and Others v. Romania (dec.), nos. 898/06, 39374/07, 1161/08 and 36461/08, § 27, 6 September 2011).

12. With respect to all the remaining complaints concerning
non-enforcement or delayed enforcement of domestic decisions, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case (see the leading case of Foundation Hostel for Students of the Reformed Church and Stanomirescu, cited above).

13. Having examined all the material submitted to it, the Court has not found any fact or argument capable of persuading it to reach a different conclusion on the admissibility and merits of these complaints. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the authorities did not deploy all necessary efforts to enforce fully and in due time the decisions in the applicants’ favour.

14. These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1.

IV. REMAINING COMPLAINT

15. In application no. 27616/11 the applicant also raised a complaint under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention concerning the length of proceedings. The Court has carefully examined the complaint and considers that, in the light of all the material in its possession, it should be dismissed as manifestly ill-founded (see Preda and Others v. Romania, nos. 9584/02, 33514/02, 38052/02, 25821/03, 29652/03, 3736/03, 17750/03 and 28688/04, §§ 131 and 155-157, 29 April 2014).

V. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION

16. Article 41 of the Convention provides:

“If the Court finds that there has been a violation of the Convention or the Protocols thereto, and if the internal law of the High Contracting Party concerned allows only partial reparation to be made, the Court shall, if necessary, afford just satisfaction to the injured party.”

17. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and its case law (see the Foundation Hostel for Students of the Reformed Church and Stanomirescu, cited above, §§ 90 - 91), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table.

18. The Court further notes that the respondent State has an outstanding obligation to enforce the judgments which remain enforceable.

19. The Court considers it appropriate that the default interest should be based on the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank, to which should be added three percentage points.

FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY,

1. Decides to join the applications;

2. Declares the complaints concerning non-enforcement or delayed enforcement raised by the applicants Dinu Chioreanu, Gheorghe Dobrotă, Dumitru Duminică, Ion Pantelimon, Rădulescu Răducan, Costică Vlad, Virgina Ghelt and Ionică Tudor in application no. 41786/14, as well as the complaint concerning length of proceedings raised in application no. 27616/11, inadmissible;

3. Declares the complaint raised in application no. 67634/11 concerning the non-enforcement of the final decision partially inadmissible;

4. Declares the remaining complaints concerning the non-enforcement or delayed enforcement of domestic decisions admissible;

5. Holds that these complaints disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention concerning the non-enforcement or delayed enforcement of domestic decisions;

6. Holds that the respondent State shall ensure, by appropriate means, within three months, the enforcement of the domestic decisions as referred to in the appended table;

7. Holds

(a) that the respondent State is to pay the applicants, within three months, the amounts indicated in the appended table, to be converted into national currency at the rate applicable at the date of settlement;

(b) that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the amount indicated in the appended table at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points.

Done in English, and notified in writing on 7 January 2016, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.

Karen Reid Vincent A. De Gaetano
Registrar President

List of applications raising complaints under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1

(non-enforcement or delayed enforcement of domestic decisions)

No.	Application no. Date of introduction	Applicant name Date of birth Date of registration	Relevant domestic decision	Start date of non-enforcement period	End date of non-enforcement period Length of enforcement proceedings	Amount awarded for non-pecuniary damage per applicant (in euros)	Amount awarded for costs and expenses per application (in euros)
1.	8675/06 17/02/2006	Ileana PĂȘCOI 01/07/1935 Elena HAVA 31/03/1936	Oradea District Court, 07/06/2004	13/12/2005	pending 9 years and 9 months	3,600	-
2.	60826/10 20/09/2010 (3 applicants)	Constantin RĂDOI 27/10/1944 Raluca Cristina NEGREA GHEORGHIU 25/03/1975 Ioana Georgia Alexandra Mândra GHEORGHIU NEGREA 06/07/1972	Bucharest County Court, 06/02/2008	11/03/2010	pending 5 years and 6 months	-	-
3.	27616/11 22/04/2011	VECHEA ASOCIAȚIUNE FUNEBRALĂ ROMÂNĂ (Old Romanian Funeral Association)	Oradea Court of Appeal, 14/10/2004	05/06/2013	pending 2 years and 4 months	1,200	-
4.	67634/11 17/10/2011	Elena POPA 12/09/1951	Olt County Court, 17/11/2004	05/05/2005	pending (salary entitlements) 10 years and 5 months	2,300	-
5.	74155/13 16/11/2013	Zorița PISEK 12/01/1935	Timiș County Court, 16/11/2001	02/07/2010	pending 5 years and 3 months	-	-
6.	1152/14 19/12/2013	Ion DRAGOTOIU 13/04/1950	Motru District Court, 22/06/2009	10/11/2009	pending 5 years and 10 months	-	-
7.	10538/14 23/01/2014	Maria UNGURU 13/08/1952	Motru District, 15/12/2010	29/03/2011	pending 4 years and 6 months	3,000	-
8.	41786/14 27/05/2014 (188 applicants)	Petrică PODARU 14/11/1956 Viorel ANDREI 27/01/1967 Victor ANGHELATO 28/10/1974 Săndel ANTON 23/10/1969 Aurelia ARAMĂ 23/12/1961 Alecu ARBĂNAȘU 24/03/1957 Frusinica ARBANASU 02/03/1958 Florentin ARICIU 08/12/1956 Marian Costel AVRAM 30/07/1963 Dinel BĂCANU 01/07/1969 Fănică BĂDIN 29/07/1959 Gheorghe BADIN 08/06/1956 Leana BĂJENARU 09/11/1953 Daniel BĂLAN 01/07/1969 Angheluță BALUȚĂ 13/05/1962 Silvia BARBU 03/01/1969 Aurel BĂTRÎNU 20/06/1949 Dumitru BĂTRÎNU 07/09/1956 Ion BECU 02/08/1971 Constantin BÂSCEANU 31/03/1955 Gheorghe BOBOC 20/10/1965 Dănuț BOGOȘ 29/05/1957 Marian BOITOȘ 22/03/1972 Ion BOLDEANU 18/11/1955 Florin Radu BORȚEANU 16/05/1950 Alexe BOTEA 02/08/1955 Vasile BRATU 04/06/1949 Nicu BUCUR 15/08/1950 George BUF 12/01/1950 Virgil BUF 19/12/1955 Ștefana BUF 20/02/1959 Ionica BUZOIANU 29/08/1965 Victor BUZOIANU 01/04/1957 Costel CĂLIN 03/06/1950 Elena CANCIU 16/01/1961 Gheorghe CANCIU 19/01/1958 Lilica Marinela CANCIU 06/06/1971 Ghiță CANDEȚ 15/08/1946 Marian CARNU 10/02/1953 Voica CATRINA 10/05/1951 Mariana CERNAT 04/07/1967 Dinu CHIOREANU 20/05/1959 Victor CHIOREANU 14/11/1950 Florentin CHIȚOIU 13/01/1977 Octavian CHIȚOIU 12/12/1949 Vasile CHIȚOIU 20/10/1953 Matei CIOCÂRLAN 26/04/1957 Gheorghe COMĂNOIU 08/12/1952 Aurelian CONSTANTIN 29/04/1966 Constantin CONSTANTIN 16/09/1950 Maria CONSTANTIN 20/07/1954 Marinel CONSTANTIN 12/12/1955 Vasile CONSTANTIN 18/02/1969 Stănel Doru CRĂCIUN 22/08/1962 Vasile CRISTEA 26/09/1949 Rodica CUCU 10/09/1960 Liviu CULACHE 04/02/1971 Vasilică DARIE 05/11/1960 Gheorghe DECIANU 03/03/1956 Neculai DERMENGIU 07/05/1959 Fănel DIMA 21/09/1964 Florentina DINU 09/11/1974 Maria DINU 30/11/1957 Gigel DINULESCU 17/08/1952 Constantin DOBRE 02/04/1959 Tudorel DOBRE 25/11/1969 Victorița DOBRE 04/11/1968 Mariana DRĂGUȘANU 23/12/1967 Gheorghe DRĂGUȚ 22/08/1969 Gheorghe DOBROTĂ 21/08/1956 Maria Ecaterina DUDĂU 15/03/1953 Dumitru DUMINICĂ 01/01/1953 Valentin Adrian DUMITRU 05/08/1975 Cristache DURBACĂ 24/09/1970 Dorian DUȚU 31/01/1961 Ionel ENACHE 05/05/1971 Mihaela ENACHE 03/01/1973 Alexandru FLOREA 16/01/1958 Marin FRONEA 08/07/1949 Petrica FRONEA 05/09/1952 Victor GEREA 28/09/1955 Virginia GHELT 02/11/1967 Emilia GHILINȚĂ 18/01/1966 Iuliana GHIMPE 13/07/1961 Ilie GHINDĂ 05/05/1955 Adelina Mihaela GHIONU 02/03/1977 Mihai GRIGORE 15/02/1959 Neculai GRIGORE 28/08/1956 Manole GROSU 22/03/1957 Leanca GURĂU 04/07/1960 Traian HAGIU 27/04/1954 Liliana HORNEȚ 04/06/1969 Mărioara ICONARU 05/05/1958 Mărioara ILIE 04/06/1965 Vasile ILIE 23/03/1960 Flavian IONESCU 17/10/1971 Mădălina IONIȚĂ 08/12/1967 Sorin IOSIF 30/04/1975 Camil IOVU 21/08/1962 Ion ISTRATI 13/10/1950 Valentina ISTRATI 16/01/1956 Dobre IVAN 28/12/1953 Stere JIRU 21/04/1964 Gheorghe LEOCĂ 18/02/1950 Radu LUPAȘCU 02/07/1955 Jan MANEA 20/07/1956 Petre MANEA 09/06/1959 Nicușor MARCU 25/11/1967 Mița MARIN 29/05/1958 Nicolaie Cicerone MATEI 20/05/1970 Cristina MEHEDINȚI (STAICU) 14/05/1979 Fănica MERIȘOR 16/03/1956 Carmen Gina MIHAI 24/04/1964 Constantin MIHALACHE 27/06/1956 Vasile MILEA 29/02/1952 Marinela MIRCEA 23/12/1964 Ene MIRON 06/10/1956 Petrică MITITELU 25/05/1962 Adrian MOCANU 19/12/1966 Nicu MOISE 01/05/1975 Ștefan MOISOIU 23/11/1970 Florentina MOTOC 28/05/1972 Florica MOTOC 29/05/1950 Milică MUNJIEV 02/09/1955 Aurel MUREȘANU 20/08/1956 Neculița NEACȘU 17/06/1955 Nicușoara NEAGU 14/11/1952 Radu NEAGU 15/10/1949 Ion NECULAI 14/12/1970 Lucia Daniela NEGRIȘAN (MOCANU) 02/08/1968 Dumitru NICA 09/05/1956 Gheorghe NISTOR 10/10/1965 Cristinel NIȚĂ 26/02/1973 Rodica NOGHEA 08/04/1957 Ionel OANCEA 02/05/1957 Ion PANTELIMON 01/02/1955 Ion PĂTRÂNOIU 27/03/1949 Demetra Diana PAVALACHE 02/09/1969 Ioana PETCU 04/02/1952 Toma PETCU 31/05/1953 Adrian PETREA 16/03/1964 Vasile PÂRLOG 30/07/1951 Gheorghe PODARU 22/01/1971 Virginia PODARU 22/03/1963 Paraschiv POPA 25/02/1967 Mihalcea POPESCU 19/10/1956 Tănțel PORCUȚ 27/06/1969 Gheorghe POTÂNGĂ 08/04/1954 Florin PUIU 28/01/1974 Marian PURCĂREA 23/10/1970 Toma PURICE 06/11/1956 Costică RĂDULESCU 26/09/1970 Răducan RĂDULESCU 02/06/1950 Vasilică RĂFOIU 27/02/1962 Valeriu Cezar ROBITU 08/12/1975 Mioara ROȘU 30/10/1966 Florentin SECHEL 04/12/1967 Flavian ȘERBAN 11/07/1962 Ionel ȘERBAN 02/09/1969 Victor SOLTUZ MOCANU 29/09/1964 Petrică STAICU 30/09/1959 Cătălin STAMATE 20/06/1972 Viorel STAMATE 08/07/1967 Viorel STAN 18/03/1965 Ionica STANCIU (VASILE) 28/03/1971 Ionel STĂNESCU 03/07/1966 Viorica ȘTIRBEI 22/08/1967 Lucian STOIAN 27/07/1957 Marian STOIAN 17/02/1960 Marin STOICA 01/10/1958 Virgil TABIRCĂ 03/11/1947 Dobre TĂNASE 09/10/1950 Tache TATU 07/05/1953 Ion TOADER 04/02/1957 Neculina TOADER 14/06/1970 Fănica TRIFU 03/12/1966 Nicolae TUDOR 13/12/1947 Ionică TUDOR 18/01/1952 Liliana URSE 28/07/1961 Daniela VASILE 06/11/1967 Fănica VLAD 24/08/1961 Cristian VOICU 10/02/1961 Ionuţ VOICU 14/11/1980 Mariana VOICU 10/10/1961 George ZAINEA 23/10/1958 Iuliana ZECA 22/04/1968 Costică VLAD 01/12/1960 Mohamed MOUMENE 28/06/1959	Brăila County Court, 26/01/2011	30/09/2011	pending 4 years	-	15,000

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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> European Court of Human Rights >> PASCOI AND OTHERS v. ROMANIA - 8675/06 (Judgment (Merits and Just Satisfaction) : Court (Fourth Section Committee)) [2016] ECHR 3 (07 January 2016) URL: http://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/2016/3.html Cite as: [2016] ECHR 3