SECOND SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 5241/03
by Františka ZBOŘILOVÁ
against the Czech Republic
The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting on 8 November 2005 as a Chamber composed of:
MrJ.-P. Costa, President,
MrA.B. Baka,
MrR. Türmen,
MrK. Jungwiert,
MrM. Ugrekhelidze,
MsD. Jočienė,
MrD. Popović, judges,
and Mr S. Naismith, Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above application lodged on 4 February 2003,
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 regard to the observations submitted by the respondent Government and the observations in reply submitted by the applicant,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
THE FACTS
The applicant, Ms Františka Zbořilová, is a Czech national, who was born in 1944 and lives in Brno. She is represented before the Court by Mr M. Vašíček, a lawyer practising in Brno.
The facts of the case, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows.
On 13 December 1993 the applicant lodged a civil action with the Brno Municipal Court (městský soud) against a private company, seeking the payment of CZK 24,000 (EUR 792) with default interest.
On 11 January 1994 the defendant appealed against the court’s payment order (platební rozkaz) of 4 January 1994 delivered in the applicant’s favour.
By a judgment of 5 November 1999, the court granted the applicant’s action, against which the defendant appealed on 14 December 1999. On 10 March 2000 the court corrected the judgment.
On 30 June 2004 the Brno Regional Court (krajský soud) stayed the proceedings pending registration of the defendant’s executive manager in the companies register.
It appears that the proceedings are still pending.
COMPLAINT
Invoking Article 6 § 1 of the Convention, the applicant originally complained that the proceedings had lasted an unreasonably long time.
THE LAW
The Court received the following declaration from the Government:
“I, Vít Schorm, Agent of the Government of the Czech Republic, declare that the Government of the Czech Republic offer to pay 9,600 euros to Františka Zbořilová with a view to securing a friendly settlement of the above-mentioned case pending before the European Court of Human Rights.
This sum, which is to cover any pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage as well as costs and expenses, will be converted into Czech korunas at the rate applicable on the date of payment, free of any taxes that may be applicable. It will be payable within three months from the date of notification of the decision taken by the Court pursuant to Article 37 § 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In the event of failure to pay this sum within the said three-month period, the Government undertake to pay simple interest on it, from the expiry of that period until settlement, at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points. The payment will constitute the final resolution of the case.”
The Court received the following declaration signed by the applicant:
“I, Františka Zbořilová, note that the Government of the Czech Republic are prepared to pay me the sum of 9,600 euros with a view to securing a friendly settlement of the above-mentioned case pending before the European Court of Human Rights.
This sum, which is to cover any pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage as well as costs and expenses, will be converted into Czech korunas at the rate applicable on the date of payment, free of any taxes that may be applicable. It will be payable within three months from the date of notification of the decision taken by the Court pursuant to Article 37 § 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. 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.
I accept the proposal and waive any further claims against the Czech Republic in respect of the facts giving rise to this application. I declare that this constitutes a final resolution of the case.”
The Court takes note of the friendly settlement reached between the parties. It finds no special circumstances regarding respect for human rights as defined in the Convention and its Protocols which require the further examination of the application (Article 37 § 1 in fine of the Convention). Accordingly, the application to the case of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention should be discontinued and the case struck out of the list.
For these reasons, the Court unanimously
Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.
S. Naismith J.-P. Costa
Deputy RegistrarPresident
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