Published on 20 March 2023
THIRD SECTION
Application no. 45101/20
Soteris AVGOUSTIS 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 Republi 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.
List of applicants
Application no. 45101/20
No.
Applicant’s Name
Year of birth
Nationality
Place of residence
1.
Soteris AVGOUSTIS
1946
Cypriot
Nicosia
2.
Elena AGISILAOU
1973
Cypriot
Limassol
3.
Fani ALAGIOTOU
1981
Cypriot
Limassol
4.
Ioulia ALEXIOU
1957
Cypriot
Paphos
5.
Andreas ANDREOU
1976
Cypriot
Nicosia
6.
Androniki ANDRONIKOU
1968
Cypriot
Nicosia
7.
Athos ANTHIMOU
1961
Cypriot
Paphos
8.
Andreas ANTONIOU
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
9.
Andreas ANTONIOU
1965
Cypriot
Nicosia
10.
Christina ANTONIOU
1982
Cypriot
Nicosia
11.
Martha ARGYROU
1977
Cypriot
Nicosia
12.
Aristides ARISTIDOU
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
13.
Charalambos ARISTODEMOU
1974
Cypriot
Limassol
14.
Christina ASIELIOTOU
1974
Cypriot
Paphos
15.
Andri CHARALAMBOUS
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
16.
Elena CHARALAMBOUS
1982
Cypriot
Paphos
17.
Irini CHARALAMBOUS
1958
Cypriot
Paphos
18.
Maria CHARALAMBOUS
1951
Cypriot
Nicosia
19.
Maria CHARALAMBOUS
1984
Cypriot
Nicosia
20.
Maroulla CHARALAMBOUS
1963
Cypriot
Paphos
21.
Charalampos CHARALAMPOUS
1988
Cypriot
Paphos
22.
Margarita CHARI
1957
Cypriot
Limassol
23.
Androula CHRISTODOULOU
1952
Cypriot
Paphos
24.
Christakis CHRISTODOULOU
1952
Cypriot
Paphos
25.
Christos CHRISTODOULOU
1953
Cypriot
Paphos
26.
Christos CHRISTODOULOU
1955
Cypriot
Nicosia
27.
Constantia CHRISTODOULOU
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
28.
Dinos CHRISTODOULOU
1953
Cypriot
Larnaca
29.
Katerina CHRISTODOULOU
1957
Cypriot
Paphos
30.
Marina CHRISTODOULOU
1963
Cypriot
Paphos
31.
Varvara CHRISTODOULOU
1959
Cypriot
Paphos
32.
Stylianos CHRISTOFI
1941
Cypriot
Nicosia
33.
Plastiras CHRISTOPHIDES
1937
Cypriot
Nicosia
34.
Chrisriana CHRISTOPHOROU
1974
Cypriot
Nicosia
35.
Antri CHRISTOU
1980
Cypriot
Limassol
36.
Georghios CHRISTOU
1976
Cypriot
Paphos
37.
Korina CHRISTOU
1978
Cypriot
Limassol
38.
Soteroula CHRISTOU
1962
Cypriot
Nicosia
39.
Chrystomos CHRYSOSTOMOU
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
40.
Constantinos CHRYSOSTOMOU
1981
Cypriot
Limassol
41.
Christos CONSTANTINIDES
1943
Cypriot
Paphos
42.
Christos CONSTANTINIDES
1980
Cypriot
Larnaca
43.
Eleni CONSTANTINIDOU
1954
Cypriot
Nicosia
44.
Chrystalla CONSTANTINOU
1951
Cypriot
Nicosia
45.
Costakis CONSTANTINOU
1977
Cypriot
Larnaca
46.
Costas CONSTANTINOU
1957
Cypriot
Nicosia
47.
Georghios CONSTANTINOU
1951
Cypriot
Paphos
48.
Maria CONSTANTINOU
1965
Cypriot
Nicosia
49.
Soulla CONSTANTINOU
1976
Cypriot
Paphos
50.
Michael DEMETRIADES
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
51.
Kyriaki DEMETRIADOU
1958
Cypriot
Paphos
52.
Andreas DEMETRIOU
1950
Cypriot
Limassol
53.
Demetris DEMETRIOU
1981
Cypriot
Paphos
54.
Ioanna DEMETRIOU
1979
Cypriot
Larnaca
55.
Eleni DEMETRIOU-ORPHANIDOU
1963
Cypriot
Nicosia
56.
Androulla DEMOSTHENOUS
1951
Cypriot
Paphos
57.
Demos DEMOSTHENOUS
1971
Cypriot
Nicosia
58.
Iordanes DEMOSTHENOUS
1950
Cypriot
Paphos
59.
Christina EFTHYMIOU
1983
Cypriot
Limassol
60.
Eleftherios ELEFTHERIOU
1960
Cypriot
Nicosia
61.
Eleftherios ELEFTHERIOU
1972
Cypriot
Larnaca
62.
Antonis EVRIPIDOU
1952
Cypriot
Paphos
63.
Demetris FILIPPOU
1955
Cypriot
Paphos
64.
Georghia FILIPPOU
1975
Cypriot
Nicosia
65.
Antonis FRAGKOUDIS
1976
Cypriot
Larnaca
66.
Tasoula GAVRIEL
1963
Cypriot
Paphos
67.
Elia GEORGAKI RALLI
1968
Cypriot
Nicosia
68.
Froso GEORGHIADES
1948
Cypriot
Nicosia
69.
Efi GEORGHIOU
1973
Cypriot
Limassol
70.
Georghios GEORGHIOU
1956
Cypriot
Paphos
71.
Georghios GEORGHIOU
1964
Cypriot
Larnaca
72.
Georghios GEORGHIOU
1973
Cypriot
Nicosia
73.
Phaedra GEORGHIOU
1958
Cypriot
Nicosia
74.
Xenia GLYKI - KOUALI
1961
Cypriot
Paphos
75.
Diogenis GREGORIOU
1959
Cypriot
Nicosia
76.
Kiki GRIVA
1957
Cypriot
Nicosia
77.
Andreas HADJIMARCOU
1943
Cypriot
Nicosia
78.
Glafkos HADJIPETROU
1945
Cypriot
Nicosia
79.
Anastasia HADJISAVVA
1962
Cypriot
Paphos
80.
Christos HADJITHEODOULOU
1969
Cypriot
Larnaca
81.
Ariadni IATROU
1969
Cypriot
Paphos
82.
Varnavas IERODIAKONOU
1966
Cypriot
Nicosia
83.
Georghios IOANNIDES
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
84.
Miltos IOANNIDES
1975
Cypriot
Limassol
85.
Panos IOANNIDES
1949
Cypriot
Nicosia
86.
Antigoni IOANNIDOU
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
87.
Andreas IOANNOU
1966
Cypriot
Nicosia
88.
Demetra IOANNOU
1968
Cypriot
Nicosia
89.
Andreas KAKOULLIS
1976
Cypriot
Larnaca
90.
Anna KALAPALIKI
1966
Cypriot
Nicosia
91.
Paraskevi KANNETI
1961
Cypriot
Paphos
92.
Aphrodite KANONISTI
1955
Cypriot
Nicosia
93.
Christakis KARACOSTA
1956
Cypriot
Larnaca
94.
Ermioni KAREKLA
1978
Cypriot
Paphos
95.
Nicolas KATTOS
1973
Cypriot
Nicosia
96.
Tasoulla KATTOU
1973
Cypriot
Limassol
97.
Efrosyni KELPI
1950
Cypriot
Paphos
98.
Maria KONSTANTINOU
1961
Cypriot
Paphos
99.
Sofoklils KOSTARI
1979
Cypriot
Nicosia
100.
Tzozefina KOULLAPI
1984
Cypriot
Larnaca
101.
Anthoullis KOUTSOFTAS
1973
Cypriot
Nicosia
102.
Maria KYPRIANOU
1962
Cypriot
Nicosia
103.
Andreas KYRIAKIDES
1949
Cypriot
Nicosia
104.
Christos KYRIAKIDES
1970
Cypriot
Larnaca
105.
Dora KYRIAKIDOU
1955
Cypriot
Nicosia
106.
Andreas KYRIAKOU
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
107.
Andreas KYRIAKOU
1980
Cypriot
Larnaca
108.
Astero KYRIAKOU
1952
Cypriot
Paphos
109.
Marios KYRIAKOU
1974
Cypriot
Larnaca
110.
Popi KYRIAKOU
1980
Cypriot
Nicosia
111.
Androulla KYRILLOU - ANTONIOU
1954
Cypriot
Paphos
112.
Eleftheria LAMPROU
1962
Cypriot
Paphos
113.
Georghios LAZARIS
1982
Cypriot
Nicosia
114.
Eleni LEONIDOU
1961
Cypriot
Paphos
115.
Marina LEONIDOU
1952
Cypriot
Nicosia
116.
Yiannoulla LEONIDOU
1951
Cypriot
Paphos
117.
Androulla LEPTOU
1953
Cypriot
Nicosia
118.
Vassos LOIZOU
1960
Cypriot
Nicosia
119.
Andreas MAPPOURAS
1961
Cypriot
Larnaca
120.
Katerina MARKIDOU
1959
Cypriot
Nicosia
121.
Costas MATSOUKARIS
1936
Cypriot
Nicosia
122.
Georghios METAXAS
1960
Cypriot
Paphos
123.
Androulla MICHAEL
1957
Cypriot
Nicosia
124.
Efpraxia MICHAEL
1958
Cypriot
Paphos
125.
Xanthoula MICHAEL
1961
Cypriot
Limassol
126.
Charalampos MICHAELIDES
1954
Cypriot
Paphos
127.
Keti MICHAELIDOU
1968
Cypriot
Nicosia
128.
Maria MICHAELIDOU
1944
Cypriot
Nicosia
129.
Maria MICHAELIDOU
1977
Cypriot
Nicosia
130.
Kyriacos MOUTTAS
1980
Cypriot
Nicosia
131.
Yiannoulla NEOPHITOU
1966
Cypriot
Paphos
132.
Charalampos NICOLAIDES
1953
Cypriot
Paphos
133.
Christos NICOLAOU
1974
Cypriot
Limassol
134.
Katerina NICOLAOU
1957
Cypriot
Paphos
135.
Maria NICOLAOU
1963
Cypriot
Nicosia
136.
Maria NIKITA-NATHANAEL
1967
Cypriot
Larnaca
137.
Michael NISIOTIS
1931
Cypriot
Nicosia
138.
Andreas PALLARIS
1971
Cypriot
Larnaca
139.
Katerina PANAGIOTOU
1954
Cypriot
Nicosia
140.
Chrysoula PANAYIOTOU
1959
Cypriot
Paphos
141.
Kyriakos PANTELI
1977
Cypriot
Larnaca
142.
Marina PANTELI
1975
Cypriot
Limassol
143.
Anthi PAPADOPOULOU
1948
Cypriot
Limassol
144.
Constantinos PAPANICOLAOU
1945
Cypriot
Paphos
145.
Michael PAPASTAVROU
1978
Cypriot
Nicosia
146.
Loucas PAPETTAS
1984
Cypriot
Larnaca
147.
Periklis PERIKLEOUS
1944
Cypriot
Nicosia
148.
Argyrios PETRAKOS
1982
Cypriot
Larnaca
149.
Christos PETRIDES
1972
Cypriot
Nicosia
150.
Stelios PETROU
1952
Cypriot
Nicosia
151.
Theodora PETSA
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
152.
Irene PIERI
1959
Cypriot
Nicosia
153.
Maria PIERI
1964
Cypriot
Paphos
154.
Yianna POLYVIOU
1983
Cypriot
Nicosia
155.
Erinoula POSPORIDOU
1966
Cypriot
Larnaca
156.
Panikos POUROS
1948
Cypriot
Nicosia
157.
Ioannis POUXIOS
1973
Cypriot
Nicosia
158.
Andreas POYIADJIS
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
159.
Dimos POYIADJIS
1944
Cypriot
Nicosia
160.
Ioanna SAVVA
1983
Cypriot
Paphos
161.
Stavros SAVVIDES
1969
Cypriot
Larnaca
162.
Chrystalla SAVVIDOU
1970
Cypriot
Larnaca
163.
Renos SERGHIDES
1957
Cypriot
Nicosia
164.
Panagiotis SERGIOU
1981
Cypriot
Nicosia
165.
Olympiada SKAROU
1952
Cypriot
Paphos
166.
Zoe SOTERIOU
1952
Cypriot
Nicosia
167.
Alecos STAVROU
1966
Cypriot
Nicosia
168.
Stavros STAVROU
1968
Cypriot
Nicosia
169.
Alexandra STYLIANOU
1956
Cypriot
Paphos
170.
Andreas STYLIANOU
1967
Cypriot
Paphos
171.
Christakis STYLIANOU
1959
Cypriot
Larnaca
172.
Nicos STYLIANOU
1951
Cypriot
Paphos
173.
Stelios STYLIANOU
1953
Cypriot
Paphos
174.
Panayiota-Nayia SYMEONIDOU
1966
Cypriot
Nicosia
175.
Kyriaki TALIOTOU
1954
Cypriot
Paphos
176.
Angeliki TAPAKOUDI
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
177.
Christakis TAPAKOUDIS
1947
Cypriot
Nicosia
178.
Maroulla TATTARI
1954
Cypriot
Paphos
179.
Christina THEODOROU
1982
Cypriot
Paphos
180.
Marianna THEODOROU
1954
Cypriot
Paphos
181.
Georgios TZIORTZIS
1967
Cypriot
Nicosia
182.
Charalambos ZACHARIOU
1972
Cypriot
Larnaca
183.
Maria ZACHARIOU-DODOU
1946
Cypriot
Nicosia
184.
Nicolas ZAKOS
1974
Cypriot
Nicosia
185.
Paraskevi ZENIOU-EVANGELI
1945
Cypriot
Nicosia
186.
Ioannis ZEVLARIS
1959
Cypriot
Nicosia