ROBOTA AND OTHERS v. UKRAINE - 7158/04 - HEJUD [2013] ECHR 59 (17 January 2013)

JUDGMENT STRASBOURG 17 January 2013 This judgment is final. It may be subject to editorial revision. In the case of Robota v. Ukraine, The European Court of Human Rights (Fifth Section), sitting as a Committee composed of: Boštjan M. Zupančič, President, Ann Power-Forde, Helena Jäderblom, judges, and Stephen Phillips , Deputy Section Registrar, Having deliberated in private on 18 December 2012, Having noted that the underlying question in the applications is already the subject of well-established case-law of the Court and that the parties had the ample opportunity to comment on it and on any other aspects of the case, Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date: PROCEDURE The case originated in 89 applications against Ukraine lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by 90 Ukrainian nationals and companies based in Ukraine, whose details are specified in the annexed tables (“the applicants”). In the course of the proceedings Ms N. Khaknazarova (application no. 61133/08) died; her husband, Mr O. Khaknazarov, and her daughter, Ms O. Khaknazarova, expressed the wish to pursue the application. The Ukrainian Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr N. Kultchytskyy, of the Ministry of Justice. The applications, which mainly concern the issues of lengthy non-enforcement of domestic decisions given in the applicants’ favour, were communicated to the Government on various dates. The Government have submitted observations concerning some of the applications. Having been initially adjourned in accordance with the Yuriy Nikolayevich Ivanov pilot judgment (see Yuriy Nikolayevich Ivanov v. Ukraine , no. 40450/04, ECHR 2009-... (extracts)), the proceedings in the applications were resumed in February 2012 (for further details see Kharuk and others v. Ukraine [Committee], no.703/05, §§ 4-6, 26 July 2012 ) On various dates the Government submitted to the Court unilateral declarations concerning all the present applications, and requested the Court to strike the applications out of the list of cases pursuant to Article 37 § 1 (c) of the Convention on the basis of the declarations. The Court examined the declarations and decided to reject the Government’s requests. THE FACTS I. Non-enforcement issues On the dates set out in the annexed tables domestic courts and commissions on labour disputes delivered decisions according to which the applicants were entitled to various pecuniary amounts and/or to have certain actions taken in their favour. The decisions became enforceable. However, the applicants were unable to obtain the enforcement of the decisions in due time because of the authorities’ failure to take specific budgetary or regulatory measures, of the introduction of bans on the attachment and sale of property belonging to State-owned or controlled companies, or because of the bailiffs’ omissions. II. Other matters . Some of the applicants also made submissions concerning factual and legal matters unrelated to the above non-enforcement issues. THE LAW I. JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS In view of the similarity of the applications in terms of the principal legal issues raised, the Court finds it appropriate to join them. II. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLES 6 AND 13 OF THE CONVENTION AND OF ARTICLE 1 OF PROTOCOL No. 1 The applicants complained about the lengthy non-enforcement of the decisions given in their favour and about the lack of effective domestic remedies in respect of those complaints. They relied, expressly or in substance, on Articles 6 and 13 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 which read, in so far as relevant, as follows: Article 6 “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations ... everyone is entitled to a ... hearing within a reasonable time by [a] tribunal ...” Article 13 “Everyone whose rights and freedoms as set forth in [the] Convention are violated shall have an effective remedy before a national authority notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity.” 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 ... Everyone whose rights and freedoms as set forth in [the] Convention are violated shall have an effective remedy before a national authority notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity.” A. Admissibility The Court notes that the applicants’ above complaints are not manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) of the Convention. It further notes that they are not inadmissible on any other grounds. They must therefore be declared admissible. B. Merits The Court notes that the decisions in the applicants’ favour remained unenforced for lengthy periods of time, for which the authorities were responsible. 12. The Court reiterates that it has already found violations of the Convention in similar cases (see Kharuk and others , cited above, §§ 17-19 ). 13. Having examined all the material in its possession, the Court finds no fact or argument capable of persuading it to reach a different conclusion in the present cases. 14. There has accordingly been a violation of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 on account of the prolonged non-enforcement of the decisions in the applicants’ favour and a violation of Article 13 of the Convention in that the applicants did not have an effective domestic remedy to redress the damage created by such non-enforcement. III. OTHER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE CONVENTION Some of the applicants raised other complaints under the Convention which the Court has carefully examined. In the light of all the material in its possession, and in so far as the matters complained of are within its competence, the Court finds that they do not disclose any appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms set out in the Convention or its Protocols. It follows that those complaints are manifestly ill-founded and must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 §§ 3 (a) and 4 of the Convention. IV. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION 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.” A. Damage, costs, and expenses In line with the approach applied in Kharuk and others (cited above, §§ 23-27), the Court considers it reasonable and equitable to award 3,000 euros (EUR) to each applicant in the applications which concern non-enforcement delays exceeding three years (the applications tabulated in Annex 1) and EUR 1,500 to each applicant in the other applications (the applications tabulated in Annex 2). These sums are to cover any pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage, as well as costs and expenses. The Court further notes that the respondent State has an outstanding obligation to enforce the decisions which have not been enforced . B. Default interest 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 applicants’ complaints under Article 6 § 1 and Article 13 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 about the lengthy non-enforcement of the decisions given in their favour and about the lack of effective domestic remedies in respect of those complaints admissible and the remainder of the applications inadmissible; 3. Holds that there has been a violation of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1; 4. Holds that there has been a violation of Article 13 of the Convention; 5. Holds (a) that the respondent State is to enforce the domestic decisions in the applicants’ favour which have not been enforced and is to pay, within three months, EUR 3,000 (three thousand euros) to each applicant or his or her estate in the applications tabulated in Appendix 1 and EUR 1,500 (one thousand five hundred euros) to each applicant or his or her estate in the applications tabulated in Appendix 2 in respect of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage, and costs and expenses, plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants on the above amounts which are to be converted into the 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 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 17 January 2013, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court. Stephen Phillips Boštjan M. Zupančič Deputy Registrar President APPENDIX 1 (non-enforcement delays more than three years) No. Application no. and date of introduction Applicant’s name and date of birth (if known) Enforceable domestic decisions 1. 7158/04 09/01/2004 Anna Ilyinichna ROBOTA 13/02/1949 12/04/2001, Bagliyskyy District Court of Dnipropetrovsk 09/12/2004, Bagliyskyy District Court of Dnipropetrovsk 2. 31923/04 25/08/2004 Oleg Mykolayovych KUTSENKO 28/11/1959 23/03/2001, Bagliyskiy District Court of Dniprodzerzhynsk 15/03/2004, Bagliyskiy District Court of Dniprodzerzhynsk 3. 38211/04 12/10/2004 LABORATORY FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC PLANNING. PP 18/12/2000, Higher Arbitration Court 4. 12239/05 21/03/2005 BRIVT, MPP 05/09/2002, Commercial Court of Sumy Region 5. 23753/05 16/06/2005 LAZURNYY BEREG, TOV 13/07/2000, Crimea Commercial Court 21/12/2001, Crimea Commercial Court 21/12/2001, Crimea Commercial Court 21/12/2001, Crimea Commercial Court 6. 33109/05 19/08/2005 Tatyana Anatolyevna LEZHNEVA 17/02/2003, Pavlograd Court 7. 35928/05 22/09/2005 1) Aleksandr Vasilyevich NAZARENKO 15/11/1963 2) Vasiliy Dmitriyevich LAZAREV 24/12/1953 1) 21/03/2000, Hartzyzsk Court 2) 09/03/2000, Hartzyzk Court 8. 44158/05 21/11/2005 Valeriy Aleksandrovich POKHODOSHCHUK 29/07/1956 15/03/2005, Sevastopol Harrison Court 13/06/2005,Sevastopol Harrison Court 21/06/2007, Gagarinskyy District Court of Sevastopol 9. 2590/06 30/12/2005 Oleksandr Vasylyovych DUBONOS 19/08/1960 10/11/2003, Chervonograd Court 10. 7492/06 01/02/2006 Aleksandr Mikhaylovich PROKOPENKO 25/05/1958 22/06/1999, Yenakieve Court 01/03/2001, Yenakieve Court 11. 8658/06 22/02/2006 Aleksandr Grigoryevich GRABOVOY 12/02/1966 27/05/2005, Prymorskyy District Court of Odessa 12. 19232/06 06/04/2006 Tetyana Volodymyrivna KRASNOSHAPKA 29/10/1963 12/08/2003, Lokhvytsya Court, as amended by the Poltava Regional Court of Appeal on 27/07/2005 13. 23103/06 30/05/2006 Volodymyr Petrovych BOYANYTSKYY 25/11/1952 19/11/2003, Chervonograd Court 14. 30682/06 06/07/2006 Roman Vasylyovych VORONKA 10/02/1958 19/11/2003, Chervonograd Court 15. 32801/06 26/07/2006 Vladimir Ivanovich TELEGIN 03/01/1940 05/04/2004, Donetsk Regional Commercial Court 16. 34380/06 01/08/2006 Viktoriya Dmytrivna SEMENOVA 12/02/1934 13/12/2004, Dzerzhynsk Court 17. 35075/06 12/08/2006 Valentyn Pylypovych MIROSHNICHENKO 12/08/1954 26/06/2004, Dobropillya Court 18. 36979/06 30/08/2006 SNEZHNYANSKIY ZAVOD KHIMICHNOGO MASHYNOBUDUVANNYA, VAT 24/10/2000, Zaporyzhzhya Regional Arbitration Court 07/06/2001, Donetsk Regional Arbitration Court 24/03/2005, Dnipropetrovsk Regional Court of Appeal 19. 42929/06 07/09/2006 PROMETEY-2000, PP 14/04/2003, Kyiv City Commercial Court of Appeal 20. 44612/06 24/10/2006 Yuriy Yuryevich STEPANOV 06/07/1972 16/01/2006, Sudak Court 21. 45692/06 24/10/2006 Svetlana Yuryevna VYSKREBETS 05/10/1966 16/01/2006, Sudak Court 22. 1082/07 11/12/2006 Svitlana Ilarionivna KOSTOGRYZ 03/02/1954 29/10/2002, Krukivskyy District Court of Kremenchuk, as amended on 18/03/2004 by the Poltava Regional Court of Appeal 23. 2514/07 01/12/2006 Lyubov Ivanovna STEPANOVA 29/09/1944 16/01/2006, Sudak Court , as amended on 20/09/2006 24. 4943/07 18/09/2006 Yuriy Stanislavovich MIZIN 18/05/1963 28/05/2005, Novogrodivka Court 25. 7753/07 02/02/2007 Aleksandr Fyodorovich KUZMICH 11/03/1989 08/06/2005, Stanychno-Luganskyy Court 26. 8135/07 02/02/2007 Mykola Frankovych MATUSEVYCH 27/05/1960 05/05/2005, Zhytomyr Harrison Court 27. 10657/07 21/02/2007 Valentin Ivanovich SURATOV 10/06/1936 30/08/2006, Tokmak Court 28. 12106/07 28/02/2007 Anatoliy Nikolayevich PRYADKO 17/06/1953 06/12/2000, Saksaganskyy District Court of Kryvyy Rig 12/12/2002, Saksaganskyy District Court of Kryvyy Rig 29. 20094/07 11/04/2007 Viktor Sergeyevich BORDUN 15/02/1941 19/02/2001, Nova Kakhovka Court 30. 21518/07 20/04/2007 Volodymyr Ivanovych GRYSHCHENKO 17/12/1941 08/04/2003, Gorlivka Court 31. 22067/07 30/04/2007 Raisa Petrovna CHERNYSH 15/10/1958 17/11/1998, Nakhimovskiy District Court of Sevastopol, 02/08/1999, Nakhimovskiy District Court of Sevastopol 24/03/2005, Sevastopol Court of Appeal 32. 22909/07 04/05/2007 Igor Yevgenovych RUSANOV 20/10/1962 21/11/2002, Gorlivka Court 33. 23977/07 16/05/2007 Vladimir Pavlovich DENISENKO 20/09/1949 07/02/2006, Nikopol Court 34. 27445/07 18/06/2007 Vyacheslav Viktorovich ZHVAKIN 24/10/1949 21/12/1998, Yevpatoriya Court 29/11/2006, Yevpatoriya Court 35. 28831/07 29/05/2007 REAL NK, PP 12/04/2005, Kherson Regional Commercial Court 36. 29858/07 05/07/2007 Fyodor Fyodorovich GRECHKO 12/05/1951 12/06/2005, Primorskyy District Court of Odessa 10/07/2007, Primorskyy District Court of Odessa 19/10/2007, Primorskyy District Court of Odessa 23/07/2008, Primorskyy District Court of Odessa 37. 30884/07 09/07/2007 Svetlana Konstantinovna LYSYUK 15/03/1956 19/12/2005, Donetsk Regional Commercial Court 38. 33577/07 16/07/2007 Vasiliy Gavrilovich DOGOT 11/02/1960 25/12/2002, Chervonogvardiysk District Court of Makyiyvka 39. 37285/07 16/08/2007 Valentina Mikhaylovna PASHINSKAYA 24/04/1941 23/10/2000, Novogrodivka Court 40. 39220/07 27/08/2007 Sergey Sergeyevich SIVASHOV 01/03/1950 09/08/2002, Krasnyy Luch Court 27/10/2004, Krasnyy Luch Court 18/11/2004, Krasnyy Luch Court 41. 39225/07 01/08/2007 Mikhail Aleksandrovich KAPUSTIN 31/07/1978 26/01/2006, Sudak Court 42. 39564/07 29/08/2007 Aleksandr Pavlovich OZERYANSKIY 07/06/1949 18/04/2002, Krasnyy Luch Court 22/11/2004, Krasnyy Luch Court 43. 41632/07 16/06/2007 Yuriy Ivanovich GAVRISHOV unspecified 07/12/2001,Yevpatoriya Court 29/06/2004, Yevpatoriya Town Court 44. 41709/07 14/09/2007 Oleksandr Mykolayovych PYSARENKO 23/04/1958 05/10/2006, Lubny Court 45. 48374/07 06/11/2007 Alla Vasilyevna KUCHINSKAYA 25/05/1949 20/09/1999, Ovruch Court 46. 53239/07 23/11/2007 Sergey Nikolayevich MIKHNOVSKIY 21/09/1954 07/07/1997, Saksaganskiy District Court of Kryvyy Rih 08/07/1998, Saksaganskiy District Court of Kryvyy Rih 27/03/2001, Saksaganskiy District Court of Kryvyy Rih 03/02/2003, Saksaganskiy District Court of Kryvyy Rih 47. 54478/07 19/11/2007 Volodymyr Dmytrovych BASHEY 02/04/1969 06/11/2001, Vugledar Court 48. 795/08 10/12/2007 Mykhaylo Mykolayovych SHTAYER 15/05/1958 21/03/2003, Kharkiv Regional Commercial Court 49. 1325/08 26/12/2007 Sergiy Mykhaylovych PAVLYUK 30/09/1962 21/05/2002, labour disputes commission 21/06/2002, Nova Kakhovka Court 19/02/2003, Nova Kakhovka Court 50. 4851/08 16/01/2008 Valeriy Ananyevich GOLOVIN unspecified 14/05/2007, Feodosiya Court 51. 14749/08 28/02/2008 Atanaziy Atanaziyovych STELMAKH 17/02/1956 02/03/2004, Chervonograd Court 52. 17775/08 03/04/2008 Volodymyr Petrovych PAZYNICH 21/12/1955 25/05/2007, Oleksandria Court 53. 18439/08 03/04/2008 Volodymyr Oleksandrovych BARSKYY 20/04/1956 06/07/2006, Golovanivsk Court 54. 28976/08 07/06/2008 Ludmila Grigoryevna ALMIZOVA 09/02/1950 30/03/2007, Krasnyy Luch Court 55. 28988/08 07/06/2008 Irina Sergeyevna MANDRIK 23/12/1963 21/05/2007, Krasnyy Luch Court 56. 30306/08 11/06/2008 Lyudmila Grigoryevna MOTRICH 26/06/1953 11/12/2002, Dniprovskyy District Court of Kherson 57. 30414/08 15/06/2008 Andriy Anatoliyovych IVANYSHCHUK 09/04/1977 23/09/2005, Suvorovskyy District Court of Kherson 58. 33743/08 13/06/2008 Aleksandr Dmitriyevich SHALUN 20/06/1972 12/04/2005, Prymorskyy District Court of Odessa 59. 34893/08 04/07/2008 Iryna Fedorivna KRASNIKOVA 13/10/1963 06/11/2001, Kirovskyy District Court of Kirovograd 60. 35546/08 15/07/2008 Vasiliy Viktorovich VINOGRADOV 05/04/1948 18/05/2005, Krasnyy Luch Court 61. 35552/08 15/07/2008 Valentina Ilinichna LICHUK 01/06/1937 16/06/2005, Krasnyy Luch Court 06/02/2006, Krasnyy Luch Court 62. 36775/08 23/07/2008 Vladimir Mironovich NIKOLAYCHUK 22/07/1938 21/12/2006, Sosnivskyy District Court of Cherkasy 63. 37105/08 17/06/2008 Yuriy Ashuriyevich RADZHABOV 06/10/1963 01/06/2005, Krasnyy Luch Court 64. 39374/08 24/07/2008 Valentina Ivanovna RUSAK 01/01/1962 19/04/2006, Myrgorod Court 65. 39562/08 06/08/2008 Vladimir Dmitriyevich BELOLAPOTKOV 27/04/1950 07/08/2006, Oleksandriya Court 16/11/2006, Oleksandriya Court 66. 39703/08 11/06/2008 Georgiy Georgiyovych KARLOV 02/01/1947 18/12/2006, Leninskyy District Court of Mykolayiv 67. 41601/08 22/08/2008 Yevgeniy Nikolayevich MOTYREV 27/10/1949 06/04/2007, Krasnyy Luch Court 68. 46828/08 20/09/2008 Vitaliy Antanasovych PAULAUSKAS 31/01/1970 12/12/2006, Selydiv Court 69. 49992/08 08/10/2008 Viktor Iosifovich GRIBOVSKIY 05/01/1951 18/08/2003, Nova Kakhovka Court 15/04/2005, Nova Kakhovka Court 14/04/2006, Nova Kakhovka Court 03/07/2008, Nova Kakhovka Court 70. 51718/08 13/10/2008 Rashyd Teymur-Ogly MAMEDOV 16/02/1966 22/09/2005, Poltava Regional Court of Appeal 71. 53622/08 25/10/2008 Vladimir Vasilyevich GANISHNYUK 19/01/1959 12/06/2002, Krasnyy Luch Court 24/06/2005, Krasnyy Luch Court 14/06/2007, Krtasnyy Luch Court 72. 53647/08 25/10/2008 Valentina Petrovna BARABASH 16/06/1940 22/02/2002, Krasnyy Luch Court 15/10/2003, Krasnyy Luch Court 24/06/2005, Krasnyy Luch Court 24/06/2005, Krasnyy Luch Court 14/06/2007, Krasnyy Luch Court 73. 54464/08 30/10/2008 Lyudmyla Vasylivna KOVAL 03/10/1958 07/12/2007, Vinnytsya Administrative Court 74. 57381/08 17/11/2008 INTERKON, TOV 21/01/2003, Khmelnytskyy Regional Commercial Court 75. 58299/08 04/11/2008 Aleksandr Vasilyevich BUDYLKO 17/04/1938 11/12/2007, Kupyansk Court 76. 61133/08 06/12/2008 Natalya Volodymyrivna KHAKNAZAROVA 14/11/1961 30/05/07, Feodosiya Court 20/06/07, Feodosiya Court as amended by the Crimea Court of Appeal on 18/09/2007 and by the Supreme Court on 22/08/08 77. 3062/09 29/12/2008 Viktor Ivanovich ZAMIUSSKIY 06/10/1957 17/09/2007, Antratsyt Court, amended by the Luhansk Regional Court of Appeal on 04/12/2007 78. 3279/09 06/12/2008 Oleg Ibragimovych KHAKNAZAROV 27/03/1961 06/05/2008, Commercial Court of Crimea 79. 5190/09 14/01/2009 Yeva Vasylivna FOKIY 02/02/1975 22/06/2007, Sadgirskyy District Court of Chernivtsi APPENDIX 2 (non-enforcement delays less than three years) No. Application no. and date of introduction Applicant’s name and date of birth (if known) Enforceable domestic decisions 80. 2025/05 28/12/2004 Viktor Viktorovych MELNYK 14/07/1959 22 /10/2002, Vyshgorod Court , became enforceable on 04/02/03 and was enforced on 28/10/05 81. 2385/05 04/01/2005 Pavlo Ivanovych MALYUTA 01/01/1961 23/10/2003, Lenynskyy District Court of Kirovograd, became enforceable on 24/02/2004 and was quashed on 17/10/2006 82. 30864/05 13/08/2005 Yevgeniy Petrovich SHYNKARYOV 02/07/1952 15/03/2005, Kyiv Military Harrison Court, enforced by 05/01/2007 83. 31062/05 12/08/2005 Yuriy Ivanovich NAGOGA 13/12/1955 30/09/2004, Lebedyn Court , enforced on 24/05/2006 84. 15057/06 06/04/2006 Nadezhda Vladimirovna PARKHOMENKO 10/05/1954 14/11/2005, Novokakhovka Court, enforced on 11/07/2008 85. 15158/06 04/04/2006 Valentina Nikolayevna BOYKO 08/02/1949 15/11/2005 (court order), Novokakhovka Court , enforced on 11/07/2008 86. 32723/06 10/07/06 Dmytro Myklayovych SHURUTA 27/04/1980 29/11/2005, Dzerzhynsk Court , enforced on 23/11/2007 87. 2707/07 28/12/2006 Viktor Ivanovych PEDORYA 09/07/1949 20/03/2006, Oleksandriya Court, enforced on 22/01/2008 88. 28983/08 07/06/2008 Viktor Vasilyevich SERDYUKOV 16/04/1956 03/07/2007, Krasnyy Luch Court, enforced on 30/04/2009 89. 802/09 13/12/2008 Oleksandr Oleksandrovych LIFANOV 03/05/1963 11/03/2008, Vugledar Court , enforced on 26/11/2010 BAILII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Donate to BAILII