European Court of Human Rights

Final Resolution CM/ResDH(2015)154
Execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights
Pilot judgments Finger, Dimitrov and Hamanov and fifty-four cases of length of proceedings against Bulgaria^[1]

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 24 September 2015
at the 1236th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 46, paragraph 2, of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which provides that the Committee supervises the execution of final judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Convention” and “the Court”),

Having regard to the final judgments transmitted by the Court to the Committee in these cases and to the violations established, and in particular to the indication made by the Court in the pilot judgments Finger and Dimitrov and Hamanov to put in place effective domestic remedies in the area of excessive length of proceedings which comply with the requirements established in its case-law;

Having examined the action report provided by the government indicating the measures adopted in order to give effect to the judgments, including the information provided regarding the individual measures and the payment of the just satisfaction awarded by the Court (see document DH-DD(2015)664);

Welcoming the response of the Bulgarian authorities to the pilot judgments Finger and Dimitrov and Hamanov with the introduction of a combination of domestic compensatory remedies which has been considered effective by the Court;

Noting, as concerns the 54 other cases, that the general measures adopted have allowed the elimination of the main recurrent causes for delays highlighted in these judgments (namely the high number of hearings and the slowness of the cassation procedure in civil matters, as well as the lengthy intervals between hearings in criminal matters);

Noting in addition the commitment of the Bulgarian authorities to pursue their efforts in the area of length of proceedings (in particular in order to reduce the length of judicial proceedings before the overburdened courts, avoid delays at the stage of the pre-trial investigation and to put in place an effective acceleratory remedy in criminal matters) in the context of the cases of the Kitov and Djangozov groups which remain under the supervision of the Committee,

DECLARES that it has exercised its functions under Article 46, paragraph 2, of the Convention in these cases and

DECIDES to close the examination thereof.

Appendix – List of cases