THIRD SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 42663/98
by Talat GüLMEZ
against Turkey
The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting on 23 May 2002 as a Chamber composed of
MrG. Ress, President,
MrI. Cabral Barreto,
MrL. Caflisch,
MrP. Kūris,
MrR. Türmen,
MrJ. Hedigan,
MrsM. Tsatsa-Nikolovska, judges,
and Mr V. Berger, Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above application lodged on 27 May 1998,
Having regard to the formal declarations accepting a friendly settlement of the case submitted by the applicant and the Government on 2 November 2001 and 15 April 2002 respectively,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
THE FACTS
The applicant, Mr Talat Gülmez, is a Turkish national born in 1927 and living in İzmir. He is represented before the Court by Mr Bülbül, a lawyer practising in İzmir.
The facts of the case, as submitted by the applicant, may be summarised as follows.
In 1995, the General Directorate of National Roads and Highways (Devlet Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü), a state body responsible, inter alia, for motorway construction, expropriated a plot of land belonging to the applicant in İzmir in order to build the İzmir Central Motorway. A committee of experts assessed the value of the plot of land belonging to the applicant and this amount was paid to him when the expropriation took place.
Following the applicant’s request for increased compensation, on 19 July 1996, the Bornova Civil Court of General Jurisdiction awarded him additional compensation plus an interest at the statutory rate of 30 % per annum. This decision became final on 6 March 1997 and the due amount was paid to the applicant on 12 March 1998.
Details are indicated in the table below:
DATE ON WHICH THE DECISION OF THE DOMESTIC COURT BECAME FINAL
AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION (INTERESTS AND LEGAL COSTS NOT INCLUDED) (In Turkish liras)
DATE OF PAYMENT
AMOUNT OF PAYMENT (INCLUDING STATUTORY INTEREST AT THE RATE OF 30 % PER ANNUM AND COSTS) (in Turkish liras)
06.03.1997
26,968,424,308
12.03.1998
46,956,587,000
COMPLAINT
The applicant complains under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention that at a time when the annual rate of inflation in Turkey was very high, he had been paid insufficient interest on additional compensation received following the expropriation of his land and the authorities had delayed in paying him the relevant amount.
THE LAW
Following informal contacts between the applicant’s and the Government’s representatives, the Section Registrar was asked to assist the parties in reaching a solution to the matter. As a result, the Registrar addressed draft declarations to the parties.
The Court received the following declaration from the Government:
“I declare that the Government of Turkey offer to pay 67,500 (sixty-seven thousand five hundred) United States dollars to Mr Talat Gülmez with a view to securing a friendly settlement of the application registered under no. 42663/98. This sum shall cover any pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage as well as costs.
33,750 (thirty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty) US dollars of this sum, which corresponds to half of the whole sum agreed upon, will be payable within three months from the date of delivery of the decision by the Court .... This sum shall be paid in US dollars to a bank account named by the applicant, free of any taxes and charges that may be applicable.
The Government further agree to pay the remaining 33,750 (thirty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty) US dollars within six months following notification of the decision by the Court .... This sum shall also be paid in US dollars to a bank account named by the applicant, free of any taxes and charges that may be applicable. This payment will constitute the final resolution of the case...”
The Court received the following declaration from the representative of the applicant:
“I note that the Government of Turkey are prepared to pay the sum of 67,500 (sixty-seven thousand five hundred) United States dollars covering pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs to Mr Talat Gülmez with a view to securing a friendly settlement of application no. 42663/98 pending before the Court.
I also note that the payment of the sum will be paid in the following conditions: 33,750 (thirty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty) US dollars within three months from the date of delivery of the decision by the Court ... and 33,750 (thirty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty) US dollars within six months from the date of notification of this decision.
I accept the proposal and waive any further claims against Turkey in respect of the facts of this application. I declare that this constitutes a final settlement of the case...”
The Court takes note of the agreement reached between the parties. It is satisfied that the settlement is based on respect for human rights as defined in the Convention or its Protocols and considers that there is no reason which would justify the continuation of the examination of the application (Article 37 § 1 in fine of the Convention and Rule 62 § 3 of the Rules of the Court).
For these reasons, the Court unanimously
Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.
Vincent BergerGeorg Ress
RegistrarPresident
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