FIRST SECTION

DECISION

AS TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF

Application no. 52071/99 by Anselmo LEONARDI against Italy

The European Court of Human Rights (First Section) , sitting on 18 April 2002 as a Chamber composed of

Mr C.L. Rozakis , President , Mr G. Bonello , Mr P. Lorenzen , Mrs N. Vajić , Mr A. Kovler , Mr V. Zagrebelsky , Mrs E. Steiner , judges ,

and Mr E. Fribergh , Section Registrar ,

Having regard to the above application lodged on 26 July 1999,

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 is an Italian national, born in 1926 and living in Rome. He is represented before the Court by Mrs R. Di Napoli, a lawyer practising in Rome.

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

The applicant is the owner of an apartment in Rome, which he had let to A.M.A.

In a registered letter of 7 June 1983, the applicant informed the tenant that he intended to terminate the lease on expiry of the term on 31 December 1983 and asked her to vacate the premises by that date.

In a writ served on the tenant on 7 December 1983, the applicant reiterated his intention to terminate the lease and summoned the tenant to appear before the Rome Magistrate.

By a decision of 10 March 1984, which was made enforceable on 11 April 1984, the Rome Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 30 June 1984.

On 9 January 1986, the applicant served notice on the tenant requiring her to vacate the premises.

On 30 January 1986, he served notice on the tenant informing her that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 20 February 1986.

Between 20 February 1986 and 23 January 1996, the bailiff made forty attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicant was not entitled to police assistance in enforcing the order for possession.

On 6 July 1999, the applicant served a second notice on the tenant requiring her to vacate the premises.

On 19 July 1999, he served notice on the tenant informing her that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 4 August 1999.

Between 4 August 1999 and 25 November 1999, the bailiff made five attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicant was not entitled to police assistance in enforcing the order for possession.

On 7 December 1999, the applicant recovered possession of the apartment.

THE LAW

The applicant complains under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention that his inability to recover possession of his apartment amounted to a violation of the right to property.

The applicant further complains under Article 6 of the Convention about the duration of the eviction proceedings and about the denial of his right of access to a court.

The Government argue that the applicant has not exhausted domestic remedies on the grounds that he failed to challenge the refusal of police assistance before the administrative courts.

The Court recalls that it has already dismissed this objection in the Immobiliare Saffi case (see the judgment Immobiliare Saffi v. Italy [GC], no. 22774/93, §§ 40-42, ECHR 1999-V). The Court sees no reason to depart from its previous finding. This objection should therefore be rejected.

The Government maintain that the measures in question amount to a control of the use of property which pursues the legitimate aim of avoiding the social tensions and troubles to public order that would occur if a considerable number of orders for possession were to be enforced simultaneously. In their opinion, the interference with the applicant’s property rights was not disproportionate; therefore, there is no violation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1.

As to the length of the enforcement proceedings, the Government submit that the delay in granting police assistance is justified on grounds of the order of priorities established according to public-safety requirements. In any event, the Government stress that following the entry into force of Law no. 431 of 9 December 1998, the Prefect is no longer competent to determine the order of priority for the enforcement of the evictions. The date of enforcement should now be set by the District Court.

The Court considers that the application raises complex and serious issues which require a determination on the merits. It follows that it cannot be considered manifestly ill founded within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 of the Convention. No other ground for declaring the application inadmissible has been established.

For these reasons, the Court unanimously

Declares the application admissible, without prejudging the merits of the case.

Erik Fribergh Christos Rozakis Registrar President