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, Acting Deputy 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 LAWALLEGED 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.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,Declares the application admissible;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;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;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 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.
Liv TigerstedtCarlo Ranzoni
Acting Deputy RegistrarPresident
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
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