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European Court of Human Rights
You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> European Court of Human Rights >> KOSTIC AND OTHERS v. SERBIA - 45727/16 (Judgment : Article 6 - Right to a fair trial : Third Section Committee) [2019] ECHR 675 (03 October 2019)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/2019/675.html
Cite as: [2019] ECHR 675
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THIRD SECTION
CASE OF KOSTIĆ AND OTHERS v. SERBIA
(Application no. 45727/16 and 51 others -
see appended list)
JUDGMENT
STRASBOURG
3 October 2019
This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.
In the case of Kostić and Others v. Serbia,
The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:
Dmitry Dedov, President,
Alena Poláčková,
Gilberto Felici, judges,
and Liv Tigerstedt, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having deliberated in private on 12 September 2019,
Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:
1. The case originated in applications against Serbia 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 applicants were represented by Ms T. Stojiljković, a lawyer practising in Leskovac.
3. The Serbian Government (“the Government”) were given notice of the applications.
THE FACTS
4. The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table.
5. The applicant s complained of the non-enforcement or delayed enforcement of domestic decisions given against socially/State-owned companies .
THE LAW
I. JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS
6. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.
II. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION and of article 1 of protocol no. 1
7. The applicants complained of 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, which, in the relevant part, 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. ...”
8. 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 delayed enforcement of final domestic judgments (see Hornsby v. Greece , no. 18357/91, § 40, Reports of Judgments and Decisions 1997‑II).
9. In the leading cases of R. Kačapor and Others v. Serbia, nos. 2269/06 and 5 others, §§ 97-99, 106-16 and 119-20, 15 January 2008, Crnišanin and Others v. Serbia, nos. 35835/05 and 3 others, § 124, 13 January 2009, and Stevanović and Others v. Serbia [Committee] , nos. 43815/17 and 15 others, 27 August 2019, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case.
10. The Court further notes that the decisions in the present applications ordered specific action to be taken. The Court therefore considers that the decisions in question constitute “possessions” within the meaning of Article 1 of Protocol No.1.
11. 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 in due time the decisions in the applicants’ favour.
12. These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1.
III. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION
13. 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.”
14. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case‑law (see, in particular, Stošić v. Serbia, no. 64931/10, §§ 66-68, 1 October 2013), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table.
15. The Court considers it appropriate that the default interest rate 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 applications admissible;
3. Holds that these applications disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 concerning the delayed enforcement of domestic decisions given against socially/State-owned companies;
4. 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 the currency of the respondent State 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 above amounts 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 3 October 2019, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.
Liv Tigerstedt Dmitry Dedov
Acting Deputy Registrar President
APPENDIX
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 given against socially/State-owned companies )
|
Application no. Date of introduction |
Applicant’s name Date of birth
|
Relevant domestic decision |
Start date of non-enforcement period or date of entry into force the Convention in respect of Serbia (3 March 2004) |
End date of non-enforcement period Length of enforcement proceedings |
Domestic award (in euros) |
Amount awarded for non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per applicant | |
|
1. |
45727/16 26/07/2016 |
Olivera Kostić 25/03/1967 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 06/12/2001
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 13/11/1998 |
03/03/2004
03/03/2004 |
26/12/2016 12 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 24 day(s)
26/12/2016 12 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 24 day(s) |
0 |
2,000 |
|
2. |
3762/17 22/12/2016 |
Divna Đorđević 25/10/1960 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 12/05/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 29/01/2008 |
30/11/2007
21/04/2008 |
22/12/2016 9 year(s) and 23 day(s)
22/12/2016 8 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 2 day(s) |
100 |
2,000 |
|
3. |
3846/17 29/12/2016 |
Jelka Stevanović 06/09/1960 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 19/11/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 22/02/2008 |
03/04/2006
27/06/2008
|
09/01/2017 10 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 7 day(s)
09/01/2017 8 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 14 day(s) |
170 |
2,000 |
|
4. |
3859/17 29/12/2016 |
Ruža Jovanović 14/11/1958 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 14/07/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 10/01/2008 |
22/11/2007
10/12/2008 |
17/01/2017 9 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 27 day(s)
17/01/2017 8 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 8 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
5. |
3865/17 29/12/2016 |
Dragana Colić 14/07/1979 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 16/09/2005 |
27/01/2006
|
06/03/2017 11 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 8 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
6. |
4283/17 22/12/2016 |
Olivera Cvetković 19/09/1965 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 13/11/2003 |
29/10/2007
|
26/12/2016 9 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 28 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |
|
7. |
4300/17 19/12/2016 |
Novica Jović 18/03/1954 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 01/07/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 18/12/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 24/04/2008 |
30/11/2007
29/02/2008
26/06/2008
|
26/12/2016 9 year(s) and 27 day(s)
26/12/2016 8 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 28 day(s)
26/12/2016 8 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 1 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
8. |
4304/17 19/12/2016 |
Zorica Stanojević 15/03/1950 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 12/03/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 14/03/2008 |
07/06/2007
18/06/2008
|
26/12/2016 9 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 20 day(s)
26/12/2016 8 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 9 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
9. |
4310/17 19/12/2016 |
Radica Todorović 22/01/1961 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 23/09/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 28/02/2008 |
10/12/2004
16/06/2008
|
26/12/2016 12 year(s) and 17 day(s)
26/12/2016 8 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 11 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
10. |
4314/17 22/12/2016 |
Ljiljana Rašić 05/02/1962 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 21/04/2003 |
22/11/2004
|
26/12/2016 12 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 5 day(s)
|
100
|
2,000 |
|
11. |
5253/17 29/12/2016 |
Dejan Colić 02/08/1969 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 16/09/2005 |
27/01/2006
|
06/03/2017 11 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 8 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
12. |
6026/17 29/12/2016 |
Jasmina Dimitrijević 04/07/1967 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 06/02/2007 |
23/04/2007
|
27/02/2017 9 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 5 day(s) |
170 |
2,000 |
|
13. |
10196/17 23/01/2017 |
Aleksandar Pešić 07/10/1963 |
Commercial Court in Leskovac, 26/11/2003 |
08/05/2007
|
02/03/2017 9 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 23 day(s) |
85
|
2,000 |
|
14. |
10332/17 25/01/2017 |
Zorica Niskić 28/01/1954 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 09/06/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 29/01/2008 |
05/11/2007
18/03/2008
|
02/03/2017 9 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 26 day(s)
02/03/2017 8 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 13 day(s) |
85
|
2,000 |
|
15. |
10478/17 25/01/2017 |
Zoran Novković 21/10/1970 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 17/12/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 15/04/2008 |
17/12/2007
17/09/2008
|
02/03/2017 9 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 14 day(s)
02/03/2017 8 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 14 day(s) |
85
|
2,000 |
|
16. |
10484/17 27/01/2017 |
Slađana Nedeljković 23/09/1957 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 11/01/2007 |
07/03/2007
|
02/03/2017 9 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 24 day(s) |
0
|
2,000 |
|
17. |
11097/17 31/01/2017 |
Zoran Mišić 09/01/1960 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 20/10/2003 |
19/12/2007
|
10/04/2017 9 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 23 day(s) |
170
|
2,000 |
|
18. |
11105/17 31/01/2017 |
Vesna Mišić 27/11/1963 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 20/03/2003 |
17/12/2007
|
10/04/2017 9 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 25 day(s) |
170
|
2,000 |
|
19. |
58002/17 02/08/2017 |
Slađana Stojanović 05/12/1964 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 29/10/2007 |
28/05/2010
|
08/08/2017 7 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 12 day(s) |
0
|
2,000 |
|
20. |
58203/17 31/07/2017 |
Sunčica Stanisavljević 06/09/1967 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 04/04/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 10/01/2008 |
15/11/2007
02/10/2009
|
11/09/2017 9 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 28 day(s)
11/09/2017 7 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 10 day(s) |
300
|
2,000 |
|
21. |
58828/17 01/08/2017 |
Mihajlo Anđelković 25/04/1949 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 26/11/2003 |
11/05/2007
|
08/08/2017 10 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 29 day(s) |
85
|
2,000 |
|
22. |
69008/17 11/09/2017 |
Latinka Stojanović 25/05/1957 |
Commercial Court in Leskovac, 01/12/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 26/12/2006 |
23/03/2006
17/12/2010
|
10/08/2017 11 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 19 day(s)
10/08/2017 6 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 25 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |
|
23. |
69153/17 11/09/2017 |
Snežana Stanković 23/09/1955 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 26/11/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 26/02/2007 |
03/03/2004
17/09/2008
|
10/08/2017 13 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 8 day(s)s)
10/08/2017 8 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 25 day(s) |
270
|
2,000 |
|
24. |
69181/17 11/09/2017 |
Stanimirka Živković 20/04/1949 |
Commercial Court in Leskovac, 22/11/2001 |
08/11/2006
|
10/08/2017 10 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 3 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |
|
25. |
70575/17 18/09/2017 |
Divna Stanojković 16/07/1956 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 16/10/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 17/05/2008 |
03/03/2004
04/07/2008
|
10/08/2017 13 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 8 day(s)
10/08/2017 9 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 7 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
26. |
70594/17 18/09/2017 |
Stana Mitrović 23/11/1960 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 24/07/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 05/03/2008 |
22/02/2008
26/08/2008
|
10/08/2017 9 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 20 day(s)
10/08/2012 3 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 16 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
27. |
70604/17 18/08/2017 |
Gordana Kocić 21/07/1955 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 14/04/2004
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 17/04/2008 |
20/12/2007
25/11/2008
|
10/08/2017 9 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 22 day(s)
10/08/2017 8 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 17 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
28. |
71892/17 25/09/2017 |
Dragoljub Nikolić 07/08/1952 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 15/08/2003
Municipal Court in leskovac, 04/07/2008 |
11/07/2007
02/10/2008
|
10/08/2017 10 year(s) and 1 month(s)
10/08/2017 8 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 9 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
29. |
72813/17 02/10/2017 |
Ivana Cojić 16/10/1971 |
Commercial Court in Leskovac, 27/06/2006 |
10/04/2007
|
27/10/2017 10 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 18 day(s) |
200
|
2,000 |
|
30. |
72835/17 02/10/2017 |
Jadranka Živković 05/02/1968 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 04/01/2007 |
14/02/2007
|
31/10/2017 10 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 18 day(s) |
200
|
2,000 |
|
31. |
73001/17 25/09/2017 |
Milka Ivanović 29/09/1971 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 06/10/2005
Municipal Court in Leskovac , 14/09/2006 |
27/03/2006
15/05/2007
|
10/08/2017 11 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 15 day(s)
10/08/2017 10 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 27 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
32. |
73017/17 25/09/2017 |
Anđa Todorović 01/01/1952 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 12/10/2004
Leskovac Municipal Court, 20/08/2007 |
29/05/2007
03/10/2007
|
10/08/2017 10 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 13 day(s)
10/08/2017 9 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 8 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
33. |
73025/17 02/10/2017 |
Milinka Icić 11/11/1967 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 07/05/2007
|
24/08/2007
|
17/11/2017 10 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 25 day(s)
|
200
|
2,000 |
|
34. |
74921/17 02/10/2017 |
Svetlana Miljković 21/08/1967 |
Municipal Court In Leskovac, 19/12/2006 |
26/02/2007
|
31/10/2017 10 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 6 day(s) |
200
|
2,000 |
|
35. |
74999/17 02/10/2017 |
Goran Stanković 18/11/1967 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 16/07/2003 |
26/02/2008
|
01/11/2017 9 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 7 day(s) |
85
|
2,000 |
|
36. |
75001/17 02/10/2017 |
Jadranka Ilić 24/07/1967 |
Commercial Court in Leskovac, 24/11/2003 |
03/03/2004
|
01/11/2017 13 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 30 day(s) |
200
|
2,000 |
|
37. |
75337/17 16/10/2017 |
Milorad Kostić 04/06/1952 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 20/05/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 19/11/2007 |
20/08/2008
22/05/2013
|
18/10/2017 9 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 29 day(s)
18/10/2017 4 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 27 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
38. |
75449/17 16/10/2017 |
Slađanka Ranđelović 04/02/1961 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 20/03/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 28/02/2008 |
25/12/2007
12/02/2008
|
01/11/2017 9 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 8 day(s)
01/11/2017 9 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 21 day(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
39. |
77678/17 30/10/2017 |
Zlatka Jović 04/11/1958 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 16/05/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 04/04/2008 |
30/11/2007
16/12/2008
|
13/11/2017 9 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 15 day(s)
13/11/2017 8 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 29 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |
|
40. |
77693/17 30/10/2017 |
Milan Stanković 14/02/1952 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 07/07/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 05/05/2003 |
13/12/2004
17/09/2008
|
13/11/2017 12 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 1 day(s)
13/11/2017 9 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 28 day(s) |
170
|
2,000 |
|
41. |
78370/17 30/10/2017 |
Nevena Tošić 24/03/1974 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 16/05/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 06/03/2008 |
29/11/2004
01/07/2008
|
26/11/2017 12 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 29 day(s)
26/11/2017 9 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 26 day(s) |
170
|
2,000 |
|
42. |
78380/17 30/10/2017 |
Dragan Vujić 06/06/1957 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 13/06/2003 |
28/12/2007
|
09/11/2017 9 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 13 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |
|
43. |
78382/17 31/10/2017 |
Smilja Petković 06/02/1958 |
Commercial Court in Leskovac, 14/11/2000 |
23/03/2007
|
09/11/2017 10 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 18 day(s) |
0
|
2,000 |
|
44. |
78386/17 30/10/2017 |
Milun Vujić 06/10/1953 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 11/04/2008 |
07/11/2008
|
13/11/2017 9 year(s) and 7 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |
|
45. |
78389/17 30/10/2017 |
Goran Krstić 05/12/1970 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 20/05/2003 |
10/07/2007
|
09/11/2017 10 year(s) and 4 month(s) |
255
|
2,000 |
|
46. |
78396/17 30/10/2017 |
Divna Ivanović 29/01/1963 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 30/01/2008 |
12/02/2009
|
13/11/2017 8 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 2 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |
|
47. |
80462/17 13/11/2017 |
Jadranka Đorđević 14/09/1961 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 15/04/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 11/04/2008 |
30/11/2007
30/10/2008
|
21/11/2017 9 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 23 day(s)
21/11/2017 9 year(s) and 23 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |
|
48. |
82577/17 01/12/2017 |
Nada Todorović 14/10/1961 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 17/12/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 22/01/2008 |
10/12/2007
27/06/2008
|
05/12/2017 9 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 26 day(s)
05/12/2017 9 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 9 day(s) |
300
|
2,000 |
|
49. |
82578/17 01/12/2017 |
Snežana Antanasović 09/05/1969 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 25/09/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 05/02/2008 |
06/12/2007
16/06/2008
|
15/12/2017 10 year(s) and 10 day(s)
15/12/2017 9 year(s) and 6 month(s) |
300
|
2,000 |
|
50. |
82581/17 01/12/2017 |
Tomislav Đorđević 13/03/1951 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 10/09/2003 |
09/01/2008
|
05/12/2017 9 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 27 day(s) |
300
|
2,000 |
|
51. |
82584/17 01/12/2017 |
Trajko Stojković 24/10/1949 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 11/06/2003
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 14/03/2008 |
29/11/2004
01/07/2008
|
05/12/2017 13 year(s) and 7 day(s)
05/12/2017 9 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 5 day(s) |
200
|
2,000 |
|
52. |
83590/17 06/12/2017 |
Marina Kostić 25/07/1961 |
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 05/02/2007
Municipal Court in Leskovac, 02/02/2004 |
09/03/2007
19/02/2017
|
26/12/2017 10 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 18 day(s)
26/12/2017 10 month(s) and 8 day(s) |
100
|
2,000 |