FIFTH SECTION

DECISION

Application no. 23002/03 by Ladislav ZAJÍC and Others against the Czech Republic

The European Court of Human Rights ( Fifth Section), sitting on 30 August 2006 as a Chamber composed of:

Mr P. Lorenzen , President , Mr K. Jungwiert , Mr V. Butkevych , Mrs M. Tsatsa-Nikolovska , Mr R. Maruste , Mr J. Borrego Borrego , Mrs R. Jaeger, judges , and Mrs C . Westerdiek , Section Registrar ,

Having regard to the above application lodged on 14 July 200 3 ,

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 s ,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

THE FACTS

The applicants, Mr Ladislav Zajíc, Ms Alena Kožíková and Mr Ladislav Zajíc jr., are three Czech nationals who were born in 1949 , 1974 and 1970 respectively , and live in Å ardice. The Government are represented by their Agent, Mr V.A. Schorm, Ministry of Justice.

The facts of the case, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows.

The applicants were members of an agricultural co-operative.

On 29 June 1993 the co-operative was transformed to a private company.

On 6 March 1994 the applicants filed an action against the co-operative with the Hodonín District Court ( okresní soud ), seeking to recover their shares.

By a judgment of 10 September 2003 the District Court partly granted the applicants ’ claims.

On 10 November 2005 the Brno Regional Court ( krajský soud ) partly upheld and partly modified the first instance judgment.

COMPLAINT S

Invoking Articles 6 § 1 and 13 of the Convention, t he applicant s originally alleged a violation of their right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time. They further alleged a violation of their property rights under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1.

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 9,000 euros to Ladislav Zajíc, Alena Kožíková and Ladislav Zajíc jr. 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 applicants:

“We, Ladislav Zajíc, Alena Kožíková and Ladislav Zajíc jr., note that the Government of the Czech Republic are prepared to pay us the global sum of 9,000 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.

We accept the proposal and waive any further claims against the Czech Republic in respect of the facts giving rise to this application. We 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.

Claudia Westerdiek Peer Lorenzen Registrar President