FIRST SECTION

DECISION

AS TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF

Application no. 57636/00 by Valeria and Anna GRAMICCIA against Italy

The European Court of Human Rights (First Section) , sitting on 26 March 2002 as a Chamber composed of

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

and Mr E. Fribergh , Section Registrar ,

Having regard to the above application lodged on 26 May 2000,

Having regard to the observations submitted by the respondent Government and the observations in reply submitted by the applicants,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

THE FACTS

The applicants are two Italian nationals, born in 1943 and 1939 and living in Rome. Th ey are represented before the Court by Mr L. Arganelli , a lawyer practising in Rome.

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

The applicants are the owners of an apartment in Rome, which they had let to G.R.

In a registered letter of 15 October 1990, the applicants informed the tenant that they intended to terminate the lease on expiry of the term on 31 December 1991 and asked him to vacate the premises by that date. The tenant told the applicants that he would not leave.

In a writ served on the tenant on 2 February 1991, the applicants reiterated their intention to terminate the lease and summoned the tenant to appear before the Rome Magistrate.

By a decision of 23 May 1991, which was made enforceable on the same day, the Rome Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 31 December 1992.

On 8 January 1993, the applicants served notice on the tenant requiring him to vacate the premises.

On 29 January 1993, they served notice on the tenant informing him that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 25 February 1993.

Between 25 February 1993 and 29 January 2000 the bailiff made thirty-seven attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicants were not entitled to police assistance in enforcing the order for possession.

On 26 January 2000, the applicants recovered possession of the apartment.

THE LAW

The applicants complain under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention that their inability to recover possession of their apartment amounted to a violation of the right to property.

The applicants further complain under Article 6 of the Convention about the duration of the eviction proceedings.

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 applicants’ 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