CEDH · CASELAW;COMMUNICATEDCASES;ENG — 28 février 2023

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .s379BC09C { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:right } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s10950C61 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s5E1364CA { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:14pt } .s339D85E6 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:14pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s665E407E { margin-top:66pt; margin-bottom:14pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s28702549 { width:127.32%; border-collapse:collapse } .s28BE940D { width:6.82%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .s2EF62ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt } .sEECE831 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; color:#474747 } .s6F5D0083 { width:40.16%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .s94CF84A6 { width:13.62%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .sA1A9243B { width:16.68%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .s43306A4 { width:22.72%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .sF0AA8FC7 { width:6.82%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s13E9629C { width:40.16%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sF070EDF7 { width:13.62%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s4C6C1307 { width:16.68%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s2742A68C { width:22.72%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s9793A85B { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt } Published on 20 March 2023   THIRD SECTION Application no. 45039/20 Vikentia ARESTI and Others against Cyprus lodged on 7 October 2020 communicated on 28 February 2023 SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE The applicants are employees or pensioners of the public sector. The applications concern the deduction of a tiered percentage monthly from their gross salaries and pensions based on the Law on the Reduction in Emoluments and Pensions of Officials, Employees and Pensioners of the Public Service and of the broader Public Sector of 2012 (Law no.   168(I)/2012). The applicants filed recourses to challenge their salary and pension deductions arguing, inter alia , that Law 168(I)/2012 had been unconstitutional, as it placed a restriction on their right to property on grounds that had not been permissible under Article 23 of the Constitution. They supported their arguments by reference, inter alia, to the findings of the majority of the Supreme Court in the case of Maria Koutselini-Ioannidou v.   The Republic of Cyprus, no. 740/2011 and others, (2014) 3 A.A.D. 361 (plenary judgment of 7 October 2014). In that case the Supreme Court held, among others, that the suspension of pensions while public servants held another public position by virtue of Law 88(I)/2011 breached Article 23 of the Constitution, which had provided greater protection than Article 1 of Protocol No. 1. The court based its finding on the fact that paragraph 3 of Article 23 of the Constitution had not included public interest or public benefit as a justification for limiting the right to property. Consequently, the court held that the suspension of pensions had been unconstitutional as it constituted a restriction to the right to property on grounds that had not been permitted by paragraph 3 of Article 23 of the Constitution. Following, inter alia, the above case-law, the Administrative Court allowed the applicants’ recourses and held, by majority, that Law 168(I)/2012 had been unconstitutional. On 10 April 2020 the plenary of the Supreme Court (appellate jurisdiction) allowed the appeals lodged by the Government, and held that Law   168(I)/2012 had been constitutional, adopting the reasoning of the majority in the earlier case of George Charalambous and others v.   The   Republic of Cyprus, case no. 1480/2011 and others (2014)   3   A.A.D.   175 (plenary judgment of 9 December 2011). In that case the court had stated that the deduction of special contribution from the salaries and pensions of the applicants by virtue of Law 112(I)/2011 could not be justified by reasons of public benefit under paragraph 3 of Article 23 of the Constitution. Nonetheless, the court held that the relatively small reduction of the salaries had not affected the core of the right to receive a salary, which had remained intact and had not been rendered devoid. As a result, according to the court, the reduction had not constituted a deprivation or restriction, outside the parameters of Article 23. The applicants complain under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention that the principle of legal certainty had been breached as the Supreme Court in its 2020 judgment failed to follow established case-law, namely, Maria   Koutselini-Ioannidou v. The Republic of Cyprus, no. 740/2011 and others, (2014) 3 A.A.D. 361 (plenary judgment of 7 October 2014). The applicants further complain under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 about the quality of Law 168(I)/2012 which they allege had not been foreseeable as it lacked explanations as to the necessity of its enactment, that the deprivation of part of their salary and/or pension had not had sufficient basis in the law as Article 23 of the Constitution did not allow for such restrictions, and that the impugned measures constituted an unjustified and arbitrary interference with their right to property under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1. QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES 1.     Did the applicants have a fair hearing in the determination of their civil rights and obligations, in accordance with Article 6 § 1 of the Convention? In particular, having regard to the applicants’ complaint, was the principle of legal certainty complied with by the domestic courts (see for instance, Albu and Others v. Romania , nos. 34796/09 and 63 others, 10 May 2012)?   2.     Has there been an interference with the applicants’ peaceful enjoyment of possessions, within the meaning of Article 1 of Protocol No.   1, on account of the measures adopted by Law no. 168(I)/2012? If so, was the interference in accordance with domestic law, bearing also in mind that the protection of the right to property under Article 23 of the Constitution is wider than that provided for by Article 1 of Protocol No. 1? In addition, did the applicable domestic law meet the requirement of legal certainty and foreseeability? Did the interference pursue a legitimate aim and was it necessary in a democratic society?   3.     The parties are requested to verify the accuracy of the information and data provided in the appended Annex.   APPENDIX   List of applicants   No. Applicant’s Name Year of birth Nationality Place of residence 1. Vikentia ARESTI 1956 Cypriot Limassol 2. Gregoris AGAPIOU 1974 Cypriot Nicosia 3. Stella AGAPIOU 1950 Cypriot Nicosia 4. Agathaggelos AGATHAGGELOU 1975 Cypriot Nicosia 5. Stelios ALEXANDROU 1960 Cypriot Nicosia 6. Theophanis ALLAGIOTIS 1981 Cypriot Nicosia 7. Eva ANASTASIADOU 1955 Cypriot Limassol 8. Eleni ANASTASIOU 1959 Cypriot Nicosia 9. Andreas ANDREOU 1980 Cypriot Larnaca 10. Anna ANDREOU 1977 Cypriot Nicosia 11. Marios ANDREOU 1983 Cypriot Larnaca 12. Antonis ANTONIOU 1954 Cypriot Larnaca 13. Demetris APOSTOLIDES 1975 Cypriot Nicosia 14. Anna APOSTOLIDOU 1975 Cypriot Nicosia 15. Violetta APOSTOLOVA 1958 Cypriot Limassol 16. Stalo ARISTIDOU 1961 Cypriot Nicosia 17. Dimitris ARISTODEMOU 1972 Cypriot Limassol 18. Marios ARISTODEMOU 1979 Cypriot Limassol 19. Panayiotis AVRAMIDES 1974 Cypriot Larnaca 20. Iason CHARALAMBIDES 1947 Cypriot Nicosia 21. Anthoulla CHARALAMBIDOU 1951 Cypriot Nicosia 22. Chryso CHARALAMBOUS 1964 Cypriot Nicosia 23. Damianos CHARALAMBOUS 1972 Cypriot Nicosia 24. Maria CHARALAMBOUS 1965 Cypriot Nicosia 25. Maria CHARALAMBOUS 1974 Cypriot Limassol 26. Elpida CHARALAMBOUS NIKOLETTI 1973 Cypriot Nicosia 27. Christodoulos CHRISTODOULOU 1968 Cypriot Larnaca 28. Costas CHRISTODOULOU 1979 Cypriot Famagusta 29. Eleni CHRISTODOULOU 1982 Cypriot Ayia Napa 30. Mamas CHRISTODOULOU 1972 Cypriot Nicosia 31. Maria CHRISTODOULOU 1977 Cypriot Larnaca 32. Eleni CHRISTOFI 1971 Cypriot Nicosia 33. Ioanna CHRISTOFI 1964 Cypriot Limassol 34. Kakoulla CHRISTOFI 1957 Cypriot Paphos 35. Sofia CHRISTOFI 1966 Cypriot Limassol 36. Adamos CHRISTOFIDES 1953 Cypriot Paphos 37. George CHRISTOFOROU 1964 Cypriot Nicosia 38. Miltiades CHRISTOPHI 1954 Cypriot Nicosia 39. Philippos CHRISTOPHI 1977 Cypriot Nicosia 40. Klelia CHRISTOPHOROU 1975 Cypriot Limassol 41. Loucas CHRISTOU 1980 Cypriot Nicosia 42. Andreas CHRYSOSTOMOU 1959 Cypriot Nicosia 43. Antri CHRYSOSTOMOU 1979 Cypriot Larnaca 44. Spyros CHRYSOSTOMOU 1969 Cypriot Larnaca 45. Aglaia CONSTANTINOU 1972 Cypriot Limassol 46. Charilaos CONSTANTINOU 1958 Cypriot Nicosia 47. Olga CONSTANTINOU 1974 Cypriot Limassol 48. Thomas CONSTANTINOU 1962 Cypriot Nicosia 49. Evgenia CONSTANTINOU - LAGOU 1962 Cypriot Nicosia 50. Costas CONSTANTINOU G 1967 Cypriot Paralimni 51. Andreas DEMETRIOU 1966 Cypriot Larnaca 52. Andreas DEMETRIOU 1978 Cypriot Larnaca 53. Christakis DEMETRIOU 1974 Cypriot Larnaca 54. Demetris DEMETRIOU 1972 Cypriot Nicosia 55. Iliada DEMETRIOU 1956 Cypriot Limassol 56. Laoura DEMETRIOU 1971 Cypriot Famagusta 57. Martha DEMETRIOU 1982 Cypriot Larnaca 58. Panayiotis DEMETRIOU 1976 Cypriot Nicosia 59. Panayiotis DEMETRIOU 1977 Cypriot Larnaca 60. Demos DEMOSTHENOUS 1971 Cypriot Nicosia 61. Maria DEMOSTHENOUS 1967 Cypriot Nicosia 62. Achilleas ELEFTHERIOU 1976 Cypriot Larnaca 63. Petros ELEFTHERIOU 1973 Cypriot Larnaca 64. Sotera ELEFTHERIOU 1962 Cypriot Limassol 65. Andreas ERMOGENOUS 1958 Cypriot Nicosia 66. Elena EVANGELOU 1970 Cypriot Nicosia 67. Evangelos EVANGELOU 1971 Cypriot Famagusta 68. Eleni FEREOU 1981 Cypriot Nicosia 69. Stavros FOUKARIS 1975 Cypriot Larnaca 70. Androulla FYSENTZOU 1957 Cypriot Limassol 71. Kallistheni GENETHLIOU 1973 Cypriot Limassol 72. Christophoros GEORGHIADES 1948 Cypriot Nicosia 73. Kyriakos GEORGHIADES 1962 Cypriot Nicosia 74. Chryso GEORGIOU 1984 Cypriot Nicosia 75. Eftychia GEORGIOU 1971 Cypriot Nicosia 76. Chrystalla GEORGOUDI 1957 Cypriot Limassol 77. Theano GRYPARI 1949 Cypriot Nicosia 78. Maria HADJICHRISTODOULOU 1961 Cypriot Nicosia 79. Stalo HADJICHRISTOFI 1966 Cypriot Limassol 80. Michalis HADJICOSTIS 1987 Cypriot Paralimni 81. Demetris HADJIGEORGIOU 1968 Cypriot Nicosia 82. Kyriacos HADJIKYRIAKOU 1964 Cypriot Nicosia 83. Andreas HADJIPANTELA 1979 Cypriot Larnaca 84. Maria HADJIPRODROMOU 1974 Cypriot Famagusta 85. Gregoris HADJISERGIS 1978 Cypriot Larnaca 86. Christos HAMBOURIDES 1944 Cypriot Nicosia 87. Maro HAMBOURIDOU 1952 Cypriot Nicosia 88. Michalis HATZITHEODOULOU 1966 Cypriot Larnaca 89. Neophytos HERACLEOUS 1976 Cypriot Nicosia 90. Georghios HERODOTOU 1977 Cypriot Limassol 91. Georgia IOAKIM 1949 Cypriot Nicosia 92. Chryso IOANNOU 1975 Cypriot Limassol 93. Ioannis IOANNOU 1961 Cypriot Nicosia 94. Paraskevi IOANNOU 1977 Cypriot Limassol 95. Andreas ISAAK 1970 Cypriot Famagusta 96. Anastasia KALAPALIKI 1962 Cypriot Limassol 97. Niki KANTARI 1975 Cypriot Paphos 98. Stavroulla KANTARI 1969 Cypriot Nicosia 99. Yiannakis KANTARIS 1957 Cypriot Limassol 100. Michalis KAPAKIOTIS 1977 Cypriot Nicosia 101. Panayiota KAPNISSI 1979 Cypriot Nicosia 102. Kyriakos KASHIAS 1957 Cypriot Limassol 103. Eleni KASSE 1981 Cypriot Limassol 104. Eleni KKOLOU 1979 Cypriot Nicosia 105. Georghios KONIAS 1959 Cypriot Famagusta 106. Marios KONNARIS 1979 Cypriot Larnaca 107. Kyriacos KOUKKIDES 1976 Cypriot Nicosia 108. Ellias KOULAS 1973 Cypriot Larnaca 109. Kleanthis KOUMBARIDES 1970 Cypriot Nicosia 110. Stavros KOYIONIS 1976 Cypriot Nicosia 111. Kyriacos KYPRIANOU 1965 Cypriot Limassol 112. Chrystalla KYRIACOU 1970 Cypriot Nicosia 113. Costas KYRIACOU 1975 Cypriot Limassol 114. Victoria KYRIACOU 1974 Cypriot Limassol 115. Christakis KYRIAKOU 1972 Cypriot Limassol 116. Katerina KYRIILLOU 1983 Cypriot Nicosia 117. Kyriacos LAMBRIAS 1966 Cypriot Famagusta 118. Marios LOIZIDES 1969 Cypriot Paphos 119. Andreas LOUCA 1969 Cypriot Larnaca 120. Nacia LOUCA 1981 Cypriot Larnaca 121. Elena MAPPOUROU 1968 Cypriot Limassol 122. Georghios MARKOULIAS 1978 Cypriot Larnaca 123. Georgia MELACHRINOU 1960 Cypriot Nicosia 124. Georghios MELIS 1969 Cypriot Nicosia 125. Andreas MICHAEL 1959 Cypriot Paphos 126. Androulla MICHAEL 1957 Cypriot Nicosia 127. Iliana MICHAEL 1970 Cypriot Nicosia 128. Michalis MICHAEL 1959 Cypriot Nicosia 129. Kyriacos MICHAELIDES 1974 Cypriot Larnaca 130. Vera MILTIADOUS - APOSTOLOU 1972 Cypriot Limassol 131. Marios MOURTOUVANIS 1966 Cypriot Nicosia 132. Demetris MOUTSOUKIS 1978 Cypriot Larnaca 133. Vasoula MOUZOUROU 1974 Cypriot Larnaca 134. Evgenia NEARCHOU 1971 Cypriot Limassol 135. Georgios NEARCHOU 1961 Cypriot Limassol 136. Costas NEOFYTOU 1973 Cypriot Paphos 137. Marios NEOFYTOU 1963 Cypriot Nicosia 138. Andreas NICOLAIDES 1969 Cypriot Nicosia 139. Yiannis NICOLAIDES 1963 Cypriot Limassol 140. Charalambos NICOLAOU 1959 Cypriot Larnaca 141. Demetris NICOLAOU 1961 Cypriot Nicosia 142. Elena NICOLAOU 1966 Cypriot Nicosia 143. Nicolas NICOLAOU 1980 Cypriot Nicosia 144. Panayiotis NICOLAOU 1961 Cypriot Nicosia 145. Niki NIKOLAOU 1977 Cypriot Nicosia 146. Chrysostomos PANAGIOTOU 1974 Cypriot Larnaca 147. Panayiotis PANAGIOTOU 1964 Cypriot Nicosia 148. Panayiotis PANAGIOTOU 1967 Cypriot Nicosia 149. Niki PANAYIOTOU 1964 Cypriot Nicosia 150. Panayiota PAOTTOU 1980 Cypriot Nicosia 151. Charis PAPACHARALAMBOUS 1978 Cypriot Paphos 152. Christos PAPADEMETRIOU 1962 Cypriot Larnaca 153. Elias PAPALLIS 1977 Cypriot Limassol 154. Christos PAPANICOLAS 1960 Cypriot Nicosia 155. Elisavet PAPATHANASIOU 1976 Cypriot Nicosia 156. Androulla PAPAVASILIOU 1960 Cypriot Nicosia 157. Charalambos PARASKEVA 1974 Cypriot Nicosia 158. Paris PARASKEVA 1968 Cypriot Famagusta 159. Tasoula PARPA 1974 Cypriot Larnaca 160. Andreas PAVLAKIS 1947 Cypriot Nicosia 161. Eleni PELETIE - IOANNOU 1957 Cypriot Nicosia 162. Demetra PELETIE - NICOLAOU 1960 Cypriot Nicosia 163. Andreas PERDIOS 1978 Cypriot Nicosia 164. Christina PETROU 1986 Cypriot Nicosia 165. Chrystalla POLIA 1988 Cypriot Larnaca 166. Savvakis POLYCARPOU 1977 Cypriot Nicosia 167. Prodromos PRODROMOU 1967 Cypriot Nicosia 168. Demetris PROKOPIOU 1972 Cypriot Larnaca 169. Kyriakoulla PROTOPAPA THEOCHAROUS 1970 Cypriot Nicosia 170. Ioannis PSARAS 1979 Cypriot Nicosia 171. Xenofon ROSSIS 1970 Cypriot Nicosia 172. Georgia ROUSOU 1983 Cypriot Nicosia 173. Christakis SAVVA 1960 Cypriot Paphos 174. Maria SAVVA 1968 Cypriot Nicosia 175. Maroulla SAVVA 1958 Cypriot Paphos 176. Marios SIAKALIS 1970 Cypriot Nicosia 177. Michalis SIEKKERIS 1978 Cypriot Nicosia 178. Christakis SIOPACHAS 1975 Cypriot Famagusta 179. Kyriacos SOCRATOUS 1983 Cypriot Limassol 180. Stelios SOCRATOUS 1973 Cypriot Nicosia 181. Panayiotis SOFOCLEOUS 1974 Cypriot Nicosia 182. Vasoulla SOFRONIOU 1950 Cypriot Nicosia 183. Martinos SOLOMOU 1980 Cypriot Famagusta 184. Soteris SOTERIOU 1980 Cypriot Nicosia 185. Maria SOTIRIOU 1976 Cypriot Nicosia 186. Chryso SPILIOTOU 1965 Cypriot Nicosia 187. Elpiniki STAVRINIDOU 1971 Cypriot Limassol 188. Theopholos STAVRINOU 1980 Cypriot Paralimni 189. Anthousa STYLIANOU 1974 Cypriot Limassol 190. Frantzeskos STYLIANOU 1959 Cypriot Famagusta 191. Stylianos STYLIANOU 1974 Cypriot Nicosia 192. Stylianos STYLIANOU 1978 Cypriot Nicosia 193. Zoe STYLIANOU 1968 Cypriot Limassol 194. Marina STYLIANOU ODYSSEOS 1975 Cypriot Nicosia 195. Pantelitsa TAXITARI - MOUZOURI 1954 Cypriot Limassol 196. Elena THEODOROU 1976 Cypriot Larnaca 197. Savvakis THEODOROU 1974 Cypriot Larnaca 198. Panayiota THEODOROU SAVVA 1967 Cypriot Limassol 199. Andreas THEOFANOUS 1980 Cypriot Nicosia 200. Yiannoula TOUMAZOU 1964 Cypriot Nicosia 201. Christakis TRISOKKAS 1973 Cypriot Famagusta 202. Savvas TTANTIS 1979 Cypriot Larnaca 203. Christiana VAI 1977 Cypriot Nicosia 204. Evangelia VANEZI 1970 Cypriot Limassol 205. Michalis VARNANA 1962 Cypriot Nicosia 206. Anastasios VASILIOU 1983 Cypriot Famagusta 207. Floros VASILIOU 1978 Cypriot Famagusta 208. Kyriacos VASILIOU 1974 Cypriot Nicosia 209. Michalis VASILIOU 1973 Cypriot Larnaca 210. Paris VLACHOU 1983 Cypriot Paphos 211. Theodoros VRAHIMIS 1970 Cypriot Limassol 212. Georghia VYRA DIONYSIOU 1963 Cypriot Nicosia 213. Alexandros YIANNAKOU 1978 Cypriot Larnaca 214. Antonis ZACHEOU 1964 Cypriot Paralimni 215. Elena ZAVROU 1974 Cypriot Limassol 216. Sophia ZISOULI 1982 Cypriot Nicosia