Published on 20 March 2023
THIRD SECTION
Application no. 45039/20
Vikentia ARESTI and Others
against Cyprus
lodged on 7 October 2020
communicated on 28 February 2023
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE
The applicants are employees or pensioners of the public sector. The applications concern the deduction of a tiered percentage monthly from their gross salaries and pensions based on the Law on the Reduction in Emoluments and Pensions of Officials, Employees and Pensioners of the Public Service and of the broader Public Sector of 2012 (Law no. 168(I)/2012).
The applicants filed recourses to challenge their salary and pension deductions arguing, inter alia, that Law 168(I)/2012 had been unconstitutional, as it placed a restriction on their right to property on grounds that had not been permissible under Article 23 of the Constitution. They supported their arguments by reference, inter alia, to the findings of the majority of the Supreme Court in the case of Maria Koutselini-Ioannidou v. The Republic of Cyprus, no. 740/2011 and others, (2014) 3 A.A.D. 361 (plenary judgment of 7 October 2014). In that case the Supreme Court held, among others, that the suspension of pensions while public servants held another public position by virtue of Law 88(I)/2011 breached Article 23 of the Constitution, which had provided greater protection than Article 1 of Protocol No. 1. The court based its finding on the fact that paragraph 3 of Article 23 of the Constitution had not included public interest or public benefit as a justification for limiting the right to property. Consequently, the court held that the suspension of pensions had been unconstitutional as it constituted a restriction to the right to property on grounds that had not been permitted by paragraph 3 of Article 23 of the Constitution.
Following, inter alia, the above case-law, the Administrative Court allowed the applicants’ recourses and held, by majority, that Law 168(I)/2012 had been unconstitutional.
On 10 April 2020 the plenary of the Supreme Court (appellate jurisdiction) allowed the appeals lodged by the Government, and held that Law 168(I)/2012 had been constitutional, adopting the reasoning of the majority in the earlier case of George Charalambous and others v. The Republic of Cyprus, case no. 1480/2011 and others (2014) 3 A.A.D. 175 (plenary judgment of 9 December 2011). In that case the court had stated that the deduction of special contribution from the salaries and pensions of the applicants by virtue of Law 112(I)/2011 could not be justified by reasons of public benefit under paragraph 3 of Article 23 of the Constitution. Nonetheless, the court held that the relatively small reduction of the salaries had not affected the core of the right to receive a salary, which had remained intact and had not been rendered devoid. As a result, according to the court, the reduction had not constituted a deprivation or restriction, outside the parameters of Article 23.
The applicants complain under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention that the principle of legal certainty had been breached as the Supreme Court in its 2020 judgment failed to follow established case-law, namely, Maria Koutselini-Ioannidou v. The Republic of Cyprus, no. 740/2011 and others, (2014) 3 A.A.D. 361 (plenary judgment of 7 October 2014). The applicants further complain under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 about the quality of Law 168(I)/2012 which they allege had not been foreseeable as it lacked explanations as to the necessity of its enactment, that the deprivation of part of their salary and/or pension had not had sufficient basis in the law as Article 23 of the Constitution did not allow for such restrictions, and that the impugned measures constituted an unjustified and arbitrary interference with their right to property under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1.
QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES
1. Did the applicants have a fair hearing in the determination of their civil rights and obligations, in accordance with Article 6 § 1 of the Convention? In particular, having regard to the applicants’ complaint, was the principle of legal certainty complied with by the domestic courts (see for instance, Albu and Others v. Romania, nos. 34796/09 and 63 others, 10 May 2012)?
2. Has there been an interference with the applicants’ peaceful enjoyment of possessions, within the meaning of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1, on account of the measures adopted by Law no. 168(I)/2012? If so, was the interference in accordance with domestic law, bearing also in mind that the protection of the right to property under Article 23 of the Constitution is wider than that provided for by Article 1 of Protocol No. 1? In addition, did the applicable domestic law meet the requirement of legal certainty and foreseeability? Did the interference pursue a legitimate aim and was it necessary in a democratic society?
3. The parties are requested to verify the accuracy of the information and data provided in the appended Annex.
APPENDIX
List of applicants
No.
Applicant’s Name
Year of birth
Nationality
Place of residence
1.
Vikentia ARESTI
1956
Cypriot
Limassol
2.
Gregoris AGAPIOU
1974
Cypriot
Nicosia
3.
Stella AGAPIOU
1950
Cypriot
Nicosia
4.
Agathaggelos AGATHAGGELOU
1975
Cypriot
Nicosia
5.
Stelios ALEXANDROU
1960
Cypriot
Nicosia
6.
Theophanis ALLAGIOTIS
1981
Cypriot
Nicosia
7.
Eva ANASTASIADOU
1955
Cypriot
Limassol
8.
Eleni ANASTASIOU
1959
Cypriot
Nicosia
9.
Andreas ANDREOU
1980
Cypriot
Larnaca
10.
Anna ANDREOU
1977
Cypriot
Nicosia
11.
Marios ANDREOU
1983
Cypriot
Larnaca
12.
Antonis ANTONIOU
1954
Cypriot
Larnaca
13.
Demetris APOSTOLIDES
1975
Cypriot
Nicosia
14.
Anna APOSTOLIDOU
1975
Cypriot
Nicosia
15.
Violetta APOSTOLOVA
1958
Cypriot
Limassol
16.
Stalo ARISTIDOU
1961
Cypriot
Nicosia
17.
Dimitris ARISTODEMOU
1972
Cypriot
Limassol
18.
Marios ARISTODEMOU
1979
Cypriot
Limassol
19.
Panayiotis AVRAMIDES
1974
Cypriot
Larnaca
20.
Iason CHARALAMBIDES
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
21.
Anthoulla CHARALAMBIDOU
1951
Cypriot
Nicosia
22.
Chryso CHARALAMBOUS
1964
Cypriot
Nicosia
23.
Damianos CHARALAMBOUS
1972
Cypriot
Nicosia
24.
Maria CHARALAMBOUS
1965
Cypriot
Nicosia
25.
Maria CHARALAMBOUS
1974
Cypriot
Limassol
26.
Elpida CHARALAMBOUS NIKOLETTI
1973
Cypriot
Nicosia
27.
Christodoulos CHRISTODOULOU
1968
Cypriot
Larnaca
28.
Costas CHRISTODOULOU
1979
Cypriot
Famagusta
29.
Eleni CHRISTODOULOU
1982
Cypriot
Ayia Napa
30.
Mamas CHRISTODOULOU
1972
Cypriot
Nicosia
31.
Maria CHRISTODOULOU
1977
Cypriot
Larnaca
32.
Eleni CHRISTOFI
1971
Cypriot
Nicosia
33.
Ioanna CHRISTOFI
1964
Cypriot
Limassol
34.
Kakoulla CHRISTOFI
1957
Cypriot
Paphos
35.
Sofia CHRISTOFI
1966
Cypriot
Limassol
36.
Adamos CHRISTOFIDES
1953
Cypriot
Paphos
37.
George CHRISTOFOROU
1964
Cypriot
Nicosia
38.
Miltiades CHRISTOPHI
1954
Cypriot
Nicosia
39.
Philippos CHRISTOPHI
1977
Cypriot
Nicosia
40.
Klelia CHRISTOPHOROU
1975
Cypriot
Limassol
41.
Loucas CHRISTOU
1980
Cypriot
Nicosia
42.
Andreas CHRYSOSTOMOU
1959
Cypriot
Nicosia
43.
Antri CHRYSOSTOMOU
1979
Cypriot
Larnaca
44.
Spyros CHRYSOSTOMOU
1969
Cypriot
Larnaca
45.
Aglaia CONSTANTINOU
1972
Cypriot
Limassol
46.
Charilaos CONSTANTINOU
1958
Cypriot
Nicosia
47.
Olga CONSTANTINOU
1974
Cypriot
Limassol
48.
Thomas CONSTANTINOU
1962
Cypriot
Nicosia
49.
Evgenia CONSTANTINOU - LAGOU
1962
Cypriot
Nicosia
50.
Costas CONSTANTINOU G
1967
Cypriot
Paralimni
51.
Andreas DEMETRIOU
1966
Cypriot
Larnaca
52.
Andreas DEMETRIOU
1978
Cypriot
Larnaca
53.
Christakis DEMETRIOU
1974
Cypriot
Larnaca
54.
Demetris DEMETRIOU
1972
Cypriot
Nicosia
55.
Iliada DEMETRIOU
1956
Cypriot
Limassol
56.
Laoura DEMETRIOU
1971
Cypriot
Famagusta
57.
Martha DEMETRIOU
1982
Cypriot
Larnaca
58.
Panayiotis DEMETRIOU
1976
Cypriot
Nicosia
59.
Panayiotis DEMETRIOU
1977
Cypriot
Larnaca
60.
Demos DEMOSTHENOUS
1971
Cypriot
Nicosia
61.
Maria DEMOSTHENOUS
1967
Cypriot
Nicosia
62.
Achilleas ELEFTHERIOU
1976
Cypriot
Larnaca
63.
Petros ELEFTHERIOU
1973
Cypriot
Larnaca
64.
Sotera ELEFTHERIOU
1962
Cypriot
Limassol
65.
Andreas ERMOGENOUS
1958
Cypriot
Nicosia
66.
Elena EVANGELOU
1970
Cypriot
Nicosia
67.
Evangelos EVANGELOU
1971
Cypriot
Famagusta
68.
Eleni FEREOU
1981
Cypriot
Nicosia
69.
Stavros FOUKARIS
1975
Cypriot
Larnaca
70.
Androulla FYSENTZOU
1957
Cypriot
Limassol
71.
Kallistheni GENETHLIOU
1973
Cypriot
Limassol
72.
Christophoros GEORGHIADES
1948
Cypriot
Nicosia
73.
Kyriakos GEORGHIADES
1962
Cypriot
Nicosia
74.
Chryso GEORGIOU
1984
Cypriot
Nicosia
75.
Eftychia GEORGIOU
1971
Cypriot
Nicosia
76.
Chrystalla GEORGOUDI
1957
Cypriot
Limassol
77.
Theano GRYPARI
1949
Cypriot
Nicosia
78.
Maria HADJICHRISTODOULOU
1961
Cypriot
Nicosia
79.
Stalo HADJICHRISTOFI
1966
Cypriot
Limassol
80.
Michalis HADJICOSTIS
1987
Cypriot
Paralimni
81.
Demetris HADJIGEORGIOU
1968
Cypriot
Nicosia
82.
Kyriacos HADJIKYRIAKOU
1964
Cypriot
Nicosia
83.
Andreas HADJIPANTELA
1979
Cypriot
Larnaca
84.
Maria HADJIPRODROMOU
1974
Cypriot
Famagusta
85.
Gregoris HADJISERGIS
1978
Cypriot
Larnaca
86.
Christos HAMBOURIDES
1944
Cypriot
Nicosia
87.
Maro HAMBOURIDOU
1952
Cypriot
Nicosia
88.
Michalis HATZITHEODOULOU
1966
Cypriot
Larnaca
89.
Neophytos HERACLEOUS
1976
Cypriot
Nicosia
90.
Georghios HERODOTOU
1977
Cypriot
Limassol
91.
Georgia IOAKIM
1949
Cypriot
Nicosia
92.
Chryso IOANNOU
1975
Cypriot
Limassol
93.
Ioannis IOANNOU
1961
Cypriot
Nicosia
94.
Paraskevi IOANNOU
1977
Cypriot
Limassol
95.
Andreas ISAAK
1970
Cypriot
Famagusta
96.
Anastasia KALAPALIKI
1962
Cypriot
Limassol
97.
Niki KANTARI
1975
Cypriot
Paphos
98.
Stavroulla KANTARI
1969
Cypriot
Nicosia
99.
Yiannakis KANTARIS
1957
Cypriot
Limassol
100.
Michalis KAPAKIOTIS
1977
Cypriot
Nicosia
101.
Panayiota KAPNISSI
1979
Cypriot
Nicosia
102.
Kyriakos KASHIAS
1957
Cypriot
Limassol
103.
Eleni KASSE
1981
Cypriot
Limassol
104.
Eleni KKOLOU
1979
Cypriot
Nicosia
105.
Georghios KONIAS
1959
Cypriot
Famagusta
106.
Marios KONNARIS
1979
Cypriot
Larnaca
107.
Kyriacos KOUKKIDES
1976
Cypriot
Nicosia
108.
Ellias KOULAS
1973
Cypriot
Larnaca
109.
Kleanthis KOUMBARIDES
1970
Cypriot
Nicosia
110.
Stavros KOYIONIS
1976
Cypriot
Nicosia
111.
Kyriacos KYPRIANOU
1965
Cypriot
Limassol
112.
Chrystalla KYRIACOU
1970
Cypriot
Nicosia
113.
Costas KYRIACOU
1975
Cypriot
Limassol
114.
Victoria KYRIACOU
1974
Cypriot
Limassol
115.
Christakis KYRIAKOU
1972
Cypriot
Limassol
116.
Katerina KYRIILLOU
1983
Cypriot
Nicosia
117.
Kyriacos LAMBRIAS
1966
Cypriot
Famagusta
118.
Marios LOIZIDES
1969
Cypriot
Paphos
119.
Andreas LOUCA
1969
Cypriot
Larnaca
120.
Nacia LOUCA
1981
Cypriot
Larnaca
121.
Elena MAPPOUROU
1968
Cypriot
Limassol
122.
Georghios MARKOULIAS
1978
Cypriot
Larnaca
123.
Georgia MELACHRINOU
1960
Cypriot
Nicosia
124.
Georghios MELIS
1969
Cypriot
Nicosia
125.
Andreas MICHAEL
1959
Cypriot
Paphos
126.
Androulla MICHAEL
1957
Cypriot
Nicosia
127.
Iliana MICHAEL
1970
Cypriot
Nicosia
128.
Michalis MICHAEL
1959
Cypriot
Nicosia
129.
Kyriacos MICHAELIDES
1974
Cypriot
Larnaca
130.
Vera MILTIADOUS - APOSTOLOU
1972
Cypriot
Limassol
131.
Marios MOURTOUVANIS
1966
Cypriot
Nicosia
132.
Demetris MOUTSOUKIS
1978
Cypriot
Larnaca
133.
Vasoula MOUZOUROU
1974
Cypriot
Larnaca
134.
Evgenia NEARCHOU
1971
Cypriot
Limassol
135.
Georgios NEARCHOU
1961
Cypriot
Limassol
136.
Costas NEOFYTOU
1973
Cypriot
Paphos
137.
Marios NEOFYTOU
1963
Cypriot
Nicosia
138.
Andreas NICOLAIDES
1969
Cypriot
Nicosia
139.
Yiannis NICOLAIDES
1963
Cypriot
Limassol
140.
Charalambos NICOLAOU
1959
Cypriot
Larnaca
141.
Demetris NICOLAOU
1961
Cypriot
Nicosia
142.
Elena NICOLAOU
1966
Cypriot
Nicosia
143.
Nicolas NICOLAOU
1980
Cypriot
Nicosia
144.
Panayiotis NICOLAOU
1961
Cypriot
Nicosia
145.
Niki NIKOLAOU
1977
Cypriot
Nicosia
146.
Chrysostomos PANAGIOTOU
1974
Cypriot
Larnaca
147.
Panayiotis PANAGIOTOU
1964
Cypriot
Nicosia
148.
Panayiotis PANAGIOTOU
1967
Cypriot
Nicosia
149.
Niki PANAYIOTOU
1964
Cypriot
Nicosia
150.
Panayiota PAOTTOU
1980
Cypriot
Nicosia
151.
Charis PAPACHARALAMBOUS
1978
Cypriot
Paphos
152.
Christos PAPADEMETRIOU
1962
Cypriot
Larnaca
153.
Elias PAPALLIS
1977
Cypriot
Limassol
154.
Christos PAPANICOLAS
1960
Cypriot
Nicosia
155.
Elisavet PAPATHANASIOU
1976
Cypriot
Nicosia
156.
Androulla PAPAVASILIOU
1960
Cypriot
Nicosia
157.
Charalambos PARASKEVA
1974
Cypriot
Nicosia
158.
Paris PARASKEVA
1968
Cypriot
Famagusta
159.
Tasoula PARPA
1974
Cypriot
Larnaca
160.
Andreas PAVLAKIS
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
161.
Eleni PELETIE - IOANNOU
1957
Cypriot
Nicosia
162.
Demetra PELETIE - NICOLAOU
1960
Cypriot
Nicosia
163.
Andreas PERDIOS
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
164.
Christina PETROU
1986
Cypriot
Nicosia
165.
Chrystalla POLIA
1988
Cypriot
Larnaca
166.
Savvakis POLYCARPOU
1977
Cypriot
Nicosia
167.
Prodromos PRODROMOU
1967
Cypriot
Nicosia
168.
Demetris PROKOPIOU
1972
Cypriot
Larnaca
169.
Kyriakoulla PROTOPAPA THEOCHAROUS
1970
Cypriot
Nicosia
170.
Ioannis PSARAS
1979
Cypriot
Nicosia
171.
Xenofon ROSSIS
1970
Cypriot
Nicosia
172.
Georgia ROUSOU
1983
Cypriot
Nicosia
173.
Christakis SAVVA
1960
Cypriot
Paphos
174.
Maria SAVVA
1968
Cypriot
Nicosia
175.
Maroulla SAVVA
1958
Cypriot
Paphos
176.
Marios SIAKALIS
1970
Cypriot
Nicosia
177.
Michalis SIEKKERIS
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
178.
Christakis SIOPACHAS
1975
Cypriot
Famagusta
179.
Kyriacos SOCRATOUS
1983
Cypriot
Limassol
180.
Stelios SOCRATOUS
1973
Cypriot
Nicosia
181.
Panayiotis SOFOCLEOUS
1974
Cypriot
Nicosia
182.
Vasoulla SOFRONIOU
1950
Cypriot
Nicosia
183.
Martinos SOLOMOU
1980
Cypriot
Famagusta
184.
Soteris SOTERIOU
1980
Cypriot
Nicosia
185.
Maria SOTIRIOU
1976
Cypriot
Nicosia
186.
Chryso SPILIOTOU
1965
Cypriot
Nicosia
187.
Elpiniki STAVRINIDOU
1971
Cypriot
Limassol
188.
Theopholos STAVRINOU
1980
Cypriot
Paralimni
189.
Anthousa STYLIANOU
1974
Cypriot
Limassol
190.
Frantzeskos STYLIANOU
1959
Cypriot
Famagusta
191.
Stylianos STYLIANOU
1974
Cypriot
Nicosia
192.
Stylianos STYLIANOU
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
193.
Zoe STYLIANOU
1968
Cypriot
Limassol
194.
Marina STYLIANOU ODYSSEOS
1975
Cypriot
Nicosia
195.
Pantelitsa TAXITARI - MOUZOURI
1954
Cypriot
Limassol
196.
Elena THEODOROU
1976
Cypriot
Larnaca
197.
Savvakis THEODOROU
1974
Cypriot
Larnaca
198.
Panayiota THEODOROU SAVVA
1967
Cypriot
Limassol
199.
Andreas THEOFANOUS
1980
Cypriot
Nicosia
200.
Yiannoula TOUMAZOU
1964
Cypriot
Nicosia
201.
Christakis TRISOKKAS
1973
Cypriot
Famagusta
202.
Savvas TTANTIS
1979
Cypriot
Larnaca
203.
Christiana VAI
1977
Cypriot
Nicosia
204.
Evangelia VANEZI
1970
Cypriot
Limassol
205.
Michalis VARNANA
1962
Cypriot
Nicosia
206.
Anastasios VASILIOU
1983
Cypriot
Famagusta
207.
Floros VASILIOU
1978
Cypriot
Famagusta
208.
Kyriacos VASILIOU
1974
Cypriot
Nicosia
209.
Michalis VASILIOU
1973
Cypriot
Larnaca
210.
Paris VLACHOU
1983
Cypriot
Paphos
211.
Theodoros VRAHIMIS
1970
Cypriot
Limassol
212.
Georghia VYRA DIONYSIOU
1963
Cypriot
Nicosia
213.
Alexandros YIANNAKOU
1978
Cypriot
Larnaca
214.
Antonis ZACHEOU
1964
Cypriot
Paralimni
215.
Elena ZAVROU
1974
Cypriot
Limassol
216.
Sophia ZISOULI
1982
Cypriot
Nicosia