CEDH · CASELAW;REPORTS;ENG — 18 octobre 1994

.sDD6737AE { font-size:11pt } .s211D6B00 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:normal; widows:0; orphans:0; font-size:8.5pt } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial }                        EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS                                FIRST CHAMBER                          Application No. 20523/92                              by Laszlo Muszka                                   against                                   Austria                          REPORT OF THE COMMISSION                          (adopted on 18 October 1994)                              TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                                    Page   INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1   PART I   :   STATEMENT OF THE FACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2   PART II :   SOLUTION REACHED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2                                INTRODUCTION   1.     This Report relates to the application introduced under Article 25 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by Laszlo Muszka against Austria on 26 May 1992.   It was registered on 24 August 1992 under file No. 20523/92.         The applicant was represented by Mr. R. Soyer, a lawyer practising in Vienna.   The Government of Austria were represented by their Agent, Ambassador F. Cede, Head of the International Law Department at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   2.     The application relates to the length of criminal proceedings against the applicant.   On 7 April 1994 the Commission (First Chamber) declared the application admissible.   3.     The Commission then proceeded to carry out its task under Article 28 para. 1 of the Convention which provides as follows:         "In the event of the Commission accepting a petition referred to       it :         a.    it shall, with a view to ascertaining the facts, undertake       together with the representatives of the parties an examination       of the petition and, if need be, an investigation, for the       effective conduct of which the States concerned shall furnish all       necessary facilities, after an exchange of views with the       Commission ;         b.    it shall at the same time place itself at the disposal of       the parties concerned with a view to securing a friendly       settlement of the matter on the basis of respect for Human Rights       as defined in this Convention."   4.     The Commission (First Chamber) found that the parties had reached a friendly settlement of the case and on 18 October 1994 it adopted this Report, which, in accordance with Article 28 para. 2 of the Convention, is confined to a brief statement of the facts and of the solution reached.         The following members were present when the Report was adopted :         MM.   A. WEITZEL, President            C.L. ROZAKIS            F. ERMACORA            E. BUSUTTIL       Mrs. J. LIDDY       MM.   M.P. PELLONPÄÄ            B. MARXER            G.B. REFFI            B. CONFORTI            N. BRATZA            I. BÉKÉS            E. KONSTANTINOV            G. RESS                                   PART I                           STATEMENT OF THE FACTS   5.     The applicant, born in 1946, is an Austrian national and resident in Vienna.   6.     In January 1987 preliminary investigations were opened against the applicant on the suspicion of having committed fraud in making false insurance claims.   7.     On 12 May 1992 the Vienna Regional Court (Landesgericht) convicted the applicant of having acted as an accessory to fraud on six counts.   He was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment on probation.   He was further ordered to pay to the insurance company concerned, which had participated in the proceedings as a private party, AS 464.000 as compensation.   8.     On 25 November 1992 the Vienna Court of Appeal (Oberlandes- gericht) dismissed the applicant's appeal (Berufung) regarding his conviction and the sentence imposed.   However, the Regional Court's decision on the compensation claims was quashed.   On 22 January 1993 the written version of the judgment was served upon the applicant.                                   PART II                              SOLUTION REACHED   9.     Following the decision on the admissibility of the application, the Commission (First Chamber) placed itself at the disposal of the parties with a view to securing a friendly settlement in accordance with Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the Convention and invited the parties to submit any proposals they wished to make.   10.    In accordance with the usual practice, the Chamber Secretary, acting on the Commission's instructions, contacted the parties to explore the possibilities of reaching a friendly settlement.   11.    By letters of 26 September 1994 and 3 October 1994, respectively, the applicant and the respondent Government informed the Commission that they had agreed on the terms of a friendly settlement, and submitted the following declaration.   <Translation>       "Statements of the parties with a view to a friendly settlement         With reference to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the parties in the proceedings concerning Application No. 20523/92, lodged by Laszlo Muszka, declare with a view to a friendly settlement, reached with the assistance of the European Commission of Human Rights, as follows:         1.    The Government of the Republic of Austria will pay to the       applicant a sum amounting to altogether AS 45,000 as compensation       in respect of any possible claims relating to the present       application. This sum includes AS 15,000 in respect of the       counsel's fees and expenses incurred in the proceedings before       the Commission.              This amount will be paid to the applicant's counsel,       Mr. R. Soyer in Vienna (Account No. 0955-40555/00, Creditanstalt-       Bankverein).         2.    The applicant declares his application settled.         3.    The applicant waives any further claims against the       Republic of Austria relating to the present application."   <German>              "Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung         In der Individualbeschwerde Nr. 20523/92 des Herrn Laszlo Muszka verständigen sich die Parteien unter Bezugnahme auf Artikel 28 Abs. 1 b der Europäischen Konvention zum Schutze der Menschenrechte und Grundfreiheiten und unter Mitwirkung der Europäischen Kommission für Menschenrechte auf die nachstehende gütliche Regelung:         1.    Die österreichische Regierung zahlt dem Beschwerdeführer       als Ausgleich für sämtliche etwaigen Ansprüche im Zusammenhang       mit der vorliegenden Individualbeschwerde einen Gesamtbetrag von       AS 45,000. Dieser Betrag umfaßt AS 15,000 hinsichtlich der       Gebühren und Auslagen, die im Rahmen des Verfahrens vor der       Kommission entstanden sind.         Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten des       Beschwerdeführers Dr. R. Soyer in Wien (Konto Nr. 0955-40555/00,       Creditanstalt-Bankverein) überwiesen.         2.    Der Beschwerdeführer erklärt seine oben genannte Beschwerde       als erledigt.         3.    Der Beschwerdeführer verzichtet auf die Geltendmachung       allfälliger weiterer Forderungen gegen die Republik Österreich       im Zusammenhang mit dem der Beschwerde zugrundeliegenden       Sachverhalt."   12.    At its session on 18 October 1994, the Commission noted that the parties had reached an agreement regarding the terms of a settlement. It further considered, having regard to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the Convention, that the friendly settlement of the case had been secured on the basis of respect for Human Rights as defined in the Convention.   13.    For these reasons, the Commission adopted the present Report.   Secretary to the First Chamber          President of the First Chamber        (M.F. BUQUICCHIO)                           (A. WEITZEL)