CASE OF OMEROVIC AND OTHERS v. SERBIA (European Court of Human Rights)

Last Updated on November 11, 2020 by LawEuro

SECOND SECTION
CASE OF OMEROVIĆ AND OTHERS v. SERBIA
(Application no. 72470/16)
JUDGMENT
STRASBOURG
5 November 2020

This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.

In the case of Omerović and Others v. Serbia,

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

Carlo Ranzoni, President,
Branko Lubarda,
Pauliine Koskelo, judges,
and Liv Tigerstedt, ActingDeputy Section Registrar,

Having deliberated in private on 15 October 2020,

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

PROCEDURE

1. The case originated in an application against Serbia lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on 17 November 2016.

2. The applicants were represented by Ms M. Lapadat, a lawyer practising in Belgrade.

3. The Serbian Government (“the Government”) were given notice of the application.

THE FACTS

4. The applicants’ details and information relevant to the application are set out in the appended table.

5. The applicants complained of the non-enforcement of domestic decisions given against a socially/State-owned company.

THE LAW

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

6. The applicants complained of the non-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 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.”

7. 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).

8. In the leading case of R. Kačapor and Others v. Serbia, nos. 2269/06 and 5 others, 15 January 2008, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case.

9. 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.

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

II. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION

11. 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.”

12. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case‑law (see, in particular, R. Kačapor and Others v. Serbia, nos. 2269/06 and 5 others, 15 January 2008, and Stanković v. Serbia (dec.), 41285/19, 19 December 2019), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table.

13. The Court further notes that the respondent State has an obligation to pay any outstanding judgment debt from its own funds.

14. 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. Declares the application admissible;

2. Holds that this application discloses a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 concerning the non-enforcement of domestic decisions given against a socially/State-owned company;

3. Holds that the respondent State shall ensure, within three months, the enforcement of the pending domestic decisions referred to in the appended table by paying any outstanding judgment debt from its own funds;

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) thatfrom 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.

Done in English, and notified in writing on 5 November 2020, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.

LivTigerstedt                         Carlo Ranzoni
Acting Deputy Registrar         President

 

APPENDIX

Application 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 of the Convention in respect of Serbia (3 March 2004)	End date of non-enforcement period Length of enforcement proceedings	Amount awarded for non-pecuniary damage per applicant (in euros)[1][2]	Amount awarded for costs and expenses per application (in euros)[3]
72470/16 17/11/2016 (199 applicants)	Kumrija OMEROVIĆ 02/01/1962 Hasim SINANOVIĆ 10/10/1975 Esminka BRONJA 23/07/1964 Mirsada BEROVIĆ 09/09/1964 Muzafer PLOJOVIĆ 19/04/1967 Beka OMEROVIĆ 29/05/1967 Sulejma ARSLANOVIĆ 30/09/1964 Zineta RAMOVIĆ 16/10/1966 Mersija ZEĆIROVIĆ 18/05/1967 Vahida LJAJIĆ 19/07/1966   Muška HODŽIĆ 20/06/1965 Muratka AJDINOVIĆ 08/01/1956 Ismeta PLOJOVIĆ 29/12/1972 Zumreta UGLJANIN 13/09/1968 Hedija DERDEMEZ 20/03/1962 Izet PRELIĆ 12/12/1972 Azra ISOVIĆ 01/06/1969 Ferida BEJTOVIĆ 17/01/1959 Safka HADŽIĆ 15/04/1966 Šadija MURIĆ 19/06/1966 Besim SALKOVIĆ 12/01/1968 Sanija HOT 03/02/1968 Muradija KURTANOVIĆ 01/01/1967 Zuhra GEGIĆ 05/01/1963 Ifeta ŠEMOVIĆ 10/06/1968 Safeta BEĆOVIĆ 27/02/1964 Hidajet EMINOVIĆ 16/10/1967 Ramiza ĆOSOVIĆ 08/10/1972 Vasvija HAJDINOVIĆ 25/06/1965 Sabaheta NURKOVIĆ 03/06/1966 Zineta BULJEVIĆ 09/04/1965 Almasa DREKOVIĆ 22/12/1965 Hankija SELMANOVIĆ 24/02/1966 Mehdija BALIĆ 03/04/1966 Mujesira HAMIDOVIĆ 03/02/1963 Senadija RAMOVIĆ 18/01/1965 Hadžira BULIĆ 29/06/1967 Senada BALIĆ 20/03/1968 Zuhra GEGIĆ 30/11/1965 Senadija ŠKRIJELJ 25/01/1968 Sanija BULIĆ 12/07/1965 Muamera HOT[4] b: 08/05/1967 d: 04/03/2017 Šeha DERDEMEZ 10/01/1967 Ramiz ŠKRIJELJ 21/11/1968 Sadija BIŠEVAC 24/10/1966 Bisera UGLJANIN 05/09/1963 Nafija MURIĆ 17/06/1965 Asifa OMEROVIĆ 08/03/1966 Rahima UGLJANIN 01/10/1960 Edib BIŠEVAC 08/01/1966 Hajruša AJDINOVIĆ 20/01/1964 Soko TUTIĆ 10/07/1966 Mevljuda HASIĆ 28/01/1967 Munir TAHIROVIĆ 03/04/1971 Kimeta HASIĆ 06/04/1971 Fadilja ČULJEVIĆ 19/01/1974 Hava TUTIĆ 21/04/1966 Zumreta BEJTOVIĆ 01/01/1968 Mersada BEJTOVIĆ 17/01/1970 Fernala ZEĆIROVIĆ 15/06/1953 Zilja TUTIĆ 20/01/1966 Hankija KOŠUTA 28/09/1969 Mersija NEZOVIĆ 20/05/1965 Ajiša ŠEMSOVIĆ 25/10/1966 Nejma GEGIĆ 12/10/1968 Zoran SRETKOVIĆ 01/06/1960 Miodrag VELJOVIĆ 23/03/1957 Hasima ŠKRIJELJ 05/05/1968 Hajrija TAHIROVIĆ[5] b: 12/09/1965 d: 16/04/2015 Mevljuda HASIĆ 06/10/1968 Mirsada PRELJEVIĆ 27/01/1969 Huzeir FEKOVIĆ 20/07/1958 Ifeta JAKUPOVIĆ 24/10/1963 Zlata ĐULOVIĆ 10/12/1962 Zalifa ĐULOVIĆ 06/12/1971 Mirsada ĐULOVIĆ 20/04/1964 Zaga MILUNOVIĆ 06/10/1963 Dragana SAVIĆ 17/01/1971 Munevera DAZDAREVIĆ 20/08/1963 Bedrija ADEMOVIĆ 11/05/1960 Sabaheta NUMANOVIĆ[6] b: 20/08/1963 d: 06/05/2018 Fata ZUKORLIĆ 11/02/1962 Mevljuda RAGIPOVIĆ 05/08/1969 Zoran STAŠEVIĆ 25/09/1969 Faketa REŠOVIĆ 22/12/1965 Milosava ZEČEVIĆ 28/04/1966 Senadija HAJROVIĆ 10/03/1968 Besim KURTAJ 23/09/1958 Bahta BAHTIJAREVIĆ 21/07/1970 Vasvija SKAREP 05/12/1964 Fatima SMAILOVIĆ 15/02/1963 Slada GEGIĆ 26/01/1967 Rabija ŠKRIJELJ 11/06/1971 Bajramka TUTIĆ 14/03/1959 Dušica ZEČEVIĆ 23/07/1960 Faruk RAMIČEVIĆ 24/04/1969 Selima TUTIĆ 10/04/1963 Ifeta MALAGIĆ 26/05/1967 Snežana BOJOVIĆ 16/12/1968 Nazića DREKOVIĆ 27/10/1965 Slobodanka TANASKOVIĆ 13/09/1958 Umihana MECINOVIĆ 15/07/1964 Mirsada DREKOVIĆ 24/12/1961 Nail TUTIĆ 15/02/1966 Ibrahim RIZVANOVIĆ 13/01/1966 Hava RIZVANOVIĆ 24/06/1964 Šadija HUSOVIĆ 12/06/1969 Kimeta AHMETOVIĆ 10/08/1965 Fehima HUSOVIĆ 01/03/1964 Emina HOT 25/01/1964 Vučina VELJOVIĆ 01/01/1957 Izet HABIBOVIĆ 10/03/1965 Sabahet ADILOVIĆ 23/02/1969 Dušica RADOJČIĆ 28/06/1962 Jasmina HAJRIZOVIĆ 25/10/1967 Dževat HABIBOVIĆ 17/07/1966 Zehiba AVDIĆ 04/01/1967 Mirjana MILUNOVIĆ 15/04/1973 Svetlana RAKOVIĆ 02/12/1961 Nermina HOT 01/01/1973 Hasna KURTOVIĆ 26/04/1962 Slavica MILUNOVIĆ 20/09/1969 Hajrija NUMANOVIĆ 02/08/1969 Sabaheta PEPIĆ[7] b: 30/01/1960 d: 03/04/2018 Fata HAJDINOVIĆ 12/03/1969 Safija ŠEHOVIĆ 08/04/1963 Sadika ADEMOVIĆ 10/05/1966 Munira OMEROVIĆ 01/01/1963 Suljo AZEMOVIĆ 20/12/1969 Hajrija RAMIČEVIĆ 15/09/1965 Hafiza ISLAMOVIĆ 25/04/1969 Miljhata ŠALJIĆ 03/01/1965 Zlata KURTOVIĆ 04/01/1966 Fatima FEKOVIĆ 25/01/1968 Misala HABIBOVIĆ 03/06/1965 Fatima KOŠUTA 12/02/1966 Muška GUSINAC HOT 10/02/1967 Zorka JOKSIMOVIĆ 29/03/1955 Nafija PEJOVIĆ 19/03/1965 Mersija PRAMENKOVIĆ 26/10/1973 Zenifa MARTINOVIĆ 07/05/1963 Sadika ADEMOVIĆ 23/09/1953 Omer SUBAŠIĆ 06/01/1951 Mirsad DEDEJIĆ 20/01/1969 Ajkuna ČOLOVIĆ 20/05/1964 Hamida SADOVIĆ 22/09/1965 Vezira HOT 15/03/1965 Nuradija ARSLANOVIĆ 10/09/1946 Sarija DREKOVIĆ[8] b: 12/10/1961 d: date unknown Aiša KRKUŠIĆ 20/05/1964 Nurija ISLAMOVIĆ 15/06/1968 Dika KUČEVIĆ 24/05/1950 Šaha BALIĆ 08/12/1961 Avdo AVDOVIĆ 29/04/1973 Hivzija RAMIČEVIĆ 10/03/1965 Nusreta IBRAHIMOVIĆ 15/02/1962 Jadranka ZEČEVIĆ 10/01/1965 Hasnija EMINOVIĆ 10/11/1965 Medina SULJIĆ 14/01/1968 Mensur RAMIĆ 15/05/1962 Saliha ISOVIĆ 01/05/1966 Esma HADŽIĆ 03/05/1965 Sabaheta BEŠIROVIĆ 16/02/1965 Biljana BELOŠEVIĆ 10/04/1973 Refida TUTIĆ 17/05/1957 Nusreta HADŽIBULIĆ 05/06/1965 Bahrija RAGIPOVIĆ 25/01/1967 Iso NUMANOVIĆ 12/04/1948 Mujesira DAZDAREVIĆ 10/06/1965 Sadik HUSOVIĆ 23/05/1953 Ramiza HADŽIĆ 25/02/1966 Indira DREKOVIĆ 29/11/1966 Vahida OMEROVIĆ 11/11/1967 Zekrija HADŽIĆ 05/05/1969 Šefika BEJTOVIĆ 20/06/1967 Vezira TUTIĆ 05/08/1967 Hamza MEDOVIĆ 04/02/1964 Mersada TUTIĆ 25/02/1971 Fatima ŠMAKOVIĆ 03/02/1968 Senada HAMZAGIĆ 08/06/1964 Zumreta KAČAPOR 09/01/1964 Sabaheta DAZDAREVIĆ 15/09/1961 Mersada BRONJA 07/11/1969 Mevljudin BULJEVIĆ 12/02/1966 Nazim ĆATOVIĆ 08/10/1953 Senadija KOLAŠINAC 10/02/1972 Jasmina ZEKOVIĆ 10/01/1968 Sadija PLOJOVIĆ 06/06/1965 Šefćeta ČEKRLIĆ 18/05/1963 Džemka ŠABOVIĆ 24/11/1965 Hatidža PLJAKIĆ 15/03/1972 Sanija ETEMOVIĆ 15/07/1967 Nusreta ADEMOVIĆ 07/09/1968 Dragoslava ĐOKOVIĆ 17/02/1968 Altuna MULIĆ 02/09/1965 Raško MILOSAVLJEVIĆ 22/09/1970 Ifeta NURKOVIĆ 02/01/1968 Sadija KALAČ 20/10/1964 Mirsada SUJKOVIĆ 02/01/1969	Commercial Court in Kraljevo, 27/11/2003 (199 decisions rendered by the same court on the same date)	03/03/2004	pending More than 16 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 13 day(s)	1,000	250

[1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.

[2] Less any amounts which may have already been paid in that regard at the domestic level.

[3] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.

[4] Pursued by heir: Amela HOT, born 21/10/1987

[5] Pursued by heir: Haris TAHIROVIĆ, born 25/02/1998

[6] Pursued by heir: Iso NUMANOVIĆ, born 12/04/1948, who is also one of the applicants in the present case (see below)

[7] Pursued by heir: Fehim PEPIĆ, born 24/01/1954

[8] Pursued by heir: Ganija DREKOVIĆ, born 15/09/1986