European Court of Human Rights

FOURTH SECTION

DECISION

Application no. 30618/09
by Andrzej VOIGT
against Poland

The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting on 30 November 2010 as a Committee composed of:

David Thór Björgvinsson, President,
Päivi Hirvelä,
Mihai Poalelungi, judges,
and Fatoş Aracı, Deputy Section Registrar,

Having regard to the above application lodged on 22 February 2009,

Having regard to the formal declarations accepting a friendly settlement of the case,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

PROCEDURE

The applicant, Mr Andrzej Voigt, is a Polish national who was born in 1966 and lives in Nadarzyn. He was represented before the Court by Mr A. Drania, a lawyer practising in Gdynia. The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 19 April 2010 the President of the Fourth Section decided to communicate the applicant’s complaint under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention concerning the length of criminal proceedings which commenced on 31 May 2001 and are still pending before the first-instance court.

THE LAW

On 5 October 2010 the Court received the following declaration signed by the applicant:

“I, Andrzej Drania, Mr Andrzej Voigt’s representative, note that the Government of Poland are prepared to pay to Mr Andrzej Voigt, with a view to securing a friendly settlement of the above-mentioned case pending before the European Court of Human Rights, PLN 20,000 (twenty thousand Polish zlotys) to cover any and all pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and any and all costs and expenses, plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicant.

This sum will be payable within three months from the date of notification of the decision by the Court pursuant to Article 37 § 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. From the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amount at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points.

Having consulted my client, I would inform you that he accepts the proposal and waives any further claims against Poland in respect of the facts giving rise to this application. He declares that this constitutes a final resolution of the case.”

On 18 October 2010 the Court received the following declaration from the Government:

“I, Jakub Wołąsiewicz, Agent of the Polish Government, declare that the Government of Poland offer to pay PLN 20,000 (twenty thousand Polish zlotys) to Mr Andrzej Voigt, with a view to securing a friendly settlement of the above mentioned case pending before the European Court of Human Rights.

This sum, which is to cover any pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage as well as costs and expenses, will be free of any taxes that may be applicable and it will be payable within three months from the date of notification of the decision taken by the Court pursuant to Article 37 § 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In the event of failure to pay this sum within the said three-month period, the Government undertake to pay simple interest on it, from expiry of that period until settlement, at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points. The payment will constitute the final resolution of the case.”

The Court takes note of the friendly settlement reached between the parties. It is satisfied that the settlement is based on respect for human rights as defined in the Convention and its Protocols and finds no reasons to justify a continued examination of the application (Article 37 § 1 in fine of the Convention). In view of the above, it is appropriate to strike the case out of the list.

For these reasons, the Court unanimously

Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.

Fatoş Aracı David Thór Björgvinsson
Deputy Registrar President