THIRD SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 3890/03
by Maria Adelaida PASCARIU
against Romania
The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting on
13 May 2008 as a Chamber composed of:
Josep Casadevall, President,
Elisabet Fura-Sandström,
Corneliu Bîrsan,
Boštjan M. Zupančič,
Egbert Myjer,
Ineta Ziemele,
Ann Power, judges,
and Santiago Quesada, Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above application lodged on 19 November 2002,
Having regard to the decision to apply Article 29 § 3 of the Convention and examine the admissibility and merits of the case together,
Having regard to the formal declarations accepting a friendly settlement of the case,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
THE FACTS
The applicant, Mrs Maria Adelaida Pascariu, is a Romanian national who was born in 1937 and lives in Bucharest. The Romanian Government
(“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr R.-H. Radu.
A. The circumstances of the case
The facts of the case, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows.
On 31 March 1999 the Vălenii de Munte Court of First Instance upheld the applicant’s action for recovery of possession and ordered the company P. to return to her land of 78 717 m² and the constructions on it. The judgment became final.
On 5 April 2001 the bailiff declared in a record that the applicant is put into possession with the land of 78 717 m² and the constructions on it.
On 4 May 2001 the applicant brought proceedings against a parish alleging that it had occupied 7 400 m² of her land. On 3 July 2002 the Ploieşti Court of Appeal rejected the action by a final decision, considering that the applicant should had taken first the possession of the land and only afterwards would she have been entitled to bring proceedings against third persons.
On 28 January 2002 the Prahova Regional Court discharged the priest of the parish of the offence of interference with the applicant’s possession.
On 6 February 2002 the Prahova Regional Court ordered by a final decision the evacuation of the company P. from the land of 78 717 m² and from the constructions on it.
On 1 September 2004 the parish received a land title for 7 500 m².
On 22 January 2008 the Gura Vitioarei Town Council informed the Government that the applicant did not appear in the land register with the surface of 78 717 m² and that she had not been effectively put into possession of the land by the local authorities.
B. Relevant domestic law
The relevant domestic legislation and case-law are set out in the case of Sabin Popescu v. Romania (no. 48102/99, §§ 42-46, 2 March 2004).
COMPLAINTS
The applicant complained under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 that she had been deprived of her possessions.
The applicant complained in substance of non-enforcement of a final judgment (Article 6 § 1 of the Convention).
THE LAW
On 10 April 2008 the Court received the following declaration from the Government:
“Je soussigné, Ravan Horatiu Radu, Agent du Gouvernement roumain devant la Cour européenne des Droits de l’Homme, déclare que le gouvernement roumain offre de verser à Mme Maria Adelaida Pascariu, à titre gracieux, la somme de 45 000 euros en vue d’un règlement amiable de l’affaire ayant pour origine la requête susmentionnée pendante devant la Cour européenne des Droits de l’Homme.
Cette somme, qui couvrira tout préjudice matériel et moral ainsi que les frais et dépens, sera convertie en lei roumains au taux applicable à la date du paiement, exempte de toute taxe éventuellement applicable et payée dans les trois mois suivant la date de la notification de la décision de la Cour rendue conformément à l’article 37 § 1 de la Convention européenne des Droits de l’Homme. A défaut de règlement dans ledit délai, le Gouvernement s’engage à verser, à compter de l’expiration de celui-ci et jusqu’au règlement effectif de la somme en question, un intérêt simple à un taux égal à celui de la facilité de prêt marginal de la Banque centrale européenne, augmenté de trois points de pourcentage. Ce versement vaudra règlement définitif de l’affaire.”
On 27 November 2007 the Court received the following declaration signed by the applicant:
“Je soussignée, Maria Adelaida Pascariu, requérante dans l’affaire susmentionnée, note que le gouvernement roumain est prêt à me verser à titre gracieux, la somme de 45 000 euros, en vue d’un règlement amiable de l’affaire ayant pour origine la requête susmentionnée pendante devant la Cour européenne des Droits de l’Homme.
Cette somme, qui couvrira tout préjudice matériel et moral ainsi que les frais et dépens, sera convertie en lei roumains au taux applicable à la date du paiement, exempte de toute taxe éventuellement applicable et payée dans les trois mois suivant la date de la notification de la décision de la Cour rendue conformément à l’article 37 § 1 de la Convention européenne des Droits de l’Homme. A compter de l’expiration dudit délai et jusqu’au règlement effectif de la somme en question, il sera payé un intérêt simple à un taux égal à celui de la facilité de prêt marginal de la Banque centrale européenne, augmenté de trois points de pourcentage.
J’accepte cette proposition et renonce par ailleurs à toute autre prétention à l’encontre de la Roumanie à propos des faits à l’origine de ladite requête. Je déclare l’affaire définitivement réglée.”
The Court takes note of the friendly settlement reached between the parties. It is satisfied that the settlement is based on respect for human rights as defined in the Convention and its Protocols and finds no public policy reasons to justify a continued examination of the application (Article 37 § 1 in fine of the Convention). In view of the above, it is appropriate to discontinue the application of Article 29 § 3 and to strike the case out of the list.
For these reasons, the Court unanimously
Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.
Santiago QuesadaJosep Casadevall
RegistrarPresident
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy