SCHEFFER v. SLOVAKIA and 47 other applications
Doc ref: 16627/21, 16633/21, 16674/21, 16938/21, 16947/21, 16951/21, 16959/21, 16963/21, 16967/21, 17260/21, ... • ECHR ID: 001-223238
Document date: January 24, 2023
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Published on 13 February 2023
FIRST SECTION
Application no. 16627/21 Imrich SCHEFFER against Slovakia and 47 other applications (see list appended) communicated on 24 January 2023
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASES
The applicants are Slovak nationals or companies incorporated in Slovakia, operating various businesses as specified in the appended table. Represented by the same lawyer practicing in Bratislava, Mr B. Fridrich, they complain of a violation of their property rights by way of a measure ( opatrenie ) and decrees ( vyhláška ) adopted by the Public Health Authority ( Úrad verejného zdravotníctva – “PHA”) of Slovakia, in response to the spreading of the Covid-19 virus. The measure and decrees were adopted consecutively and entailed, as applicable at the given time, the temporary closing of the applicants’ respective businesses or limitations on the maximum permissible number of guests or customers that they were allowed to accommodate at a time.
The applicants allege having incurred pecuniary damage and loss of future income as well as clientele. They contend that the PHA had no power to impose the limitations it did and that in view of their legal nature the underlying measure and decrees were exempt from any type of judicial review. The applicants specifically contest the applicable legal regime as in force from various dates, matching the time-limit for the introduction of an individual application under Article 35 § 1 of the Convention. The dates identified by them are also specified in the appended table.
The applications raise issues under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention and Articles 13 and 35 § 1 of the Convention.
QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES
1. In view of the applicants’ allegations and all relevant circumstances, including but not limited to the applicable statutory rules and jurisprudence, such as section 59b(1) of the Public Health Protection and Development Act (Law no. 355/2007 Coll., as amended by Law no. 286/2020 Coll.); the Constitutional Court’s decisions in cases nos. III. US 291/21 and IV. US 249/21; and its judgment in case no. PL. US 8/21, have the applicants exhausted all effective domestic remedies, as required by Article 35 § 1 of the Convention?
2. Has there been an interference with the applicants’ right to the peaceful enjoyment of possessions, within the meaning of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1? If so, did it fulfil the requirements of lawfulness under that Article? Among other aspects, was it accompanied by procedural safeguards inherent in that provision (see Capital Bank AD v. Bulgaria , no. 49429/99, §§ 133-34, ECHR 2005 XII (extracts))?
3. Did the applicants have at their disposal an effective domestic remedy for their complaint under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1, as required by Article 13 of the Convention?
LIST OF APPLICATIONS
No.
Application no.
Lodged on
Applicant’s name
Area of business
Starting date of the impugned regime
1.
16627/21
25/03/2021
Imrich SCHEFFER
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
2.
16633/21
25/03/2021
BAT TRNAVA, S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
3.
16674/21
25/03/2021
Peter MATUÅ KA
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
4.
16938/21
25/03/2021
KULTURISTICKÝ ODDIEL VETERINARY BODYBUILDING CLUB KOŠICE
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
5.
16947/21
25/03/2021
K & S STAV PARTNERS S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
6.
16951/21
25/03/2021
MEGAGYM INVEST, S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
7.
16959/21
25/03/2021
EVA-ST, S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
8.
16963/21
25/03/2021
Matúš KARABIN
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
9.
16967/21
25/03/2021
Peter KOSTKA
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
10.
17260/21
25/03/2021
Peter MARCINA
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
11.
17262/21
25/03/2021
Mikuláš BADO
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
12.
17265/21
25/03/2021
DOJO S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
13.
17275/21
25/03/2021
KINGS GYM S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
14.
17278/21
25/03/2021
BRADLOINVEST SK TRADE, S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
15.
17290/21
25/03/2021
IMPERIA FITNESS S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
16.
17293/21
25/03/2021
P.R. AGENCY S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
17.
17559/21
25/03/2021
TOROMAG, S.R.O. Fitness centre
15/10/2020
18.
17572/21
25/03/2021
FIT&GYM, S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
19.
17579/21
25/03/2021
JANMAR IVANKA S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
20.
18319/21
31/03/2021
UPPSALA S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
21.
18720/21
25/03/2021
ŠTÚDIO POHYBU BUBEMA, S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
22.
18758/21
25/03/2021
RETSUS S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
23.
20404/21
12/04/2021
TOGET, S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
24.
20421/21
12/04/2021
SKL AGENCY S.R.O.
Fitness centre
15/10/2020
25.
20902/21
13/04/2021
GALEK, S.R.O.
Restaurant
15/10/2020
26.
31836/21
16/06/2021
INMODESK S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
27.
32142/21
17/06/2021
CUBESHOP S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
28.
32146/21
17/06/2021
Vladimír BEŇO
Retail store
19/12/2020
29.
32149/21
16/06/2021
JRC SK S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
30.
32154/21
16/06/2021
DANIAN S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
31.
32157/21
16/06/2021
Marián RÚČKA
Retail store
19/12/2020
32.
32160/21
16/06/2021
MISS PINK S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
33.
32233/21
16/06/2021
SUPER SPORT S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
34.
32238/21
16/06/2021
DIAMANTIER, S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
35.
32701/21
17/06/2021
Stanislav FARKAÅ
Retail store
19/12/2020
36.
32765/21
17/06/2021
SKL S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
37.
32873/21
17/06/2021
PLAYER, S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
38.
32892/21
17/06/2021
SLOVAKIA MANGO FRANCHISEE S.R.O.
Retail store
19/12/2020
39.
33406/21
26/06/2021
Michal ČERVÁK
Retail store
30/12/2020
40.
38291/21
26/07/2021
ENERGYFIT S.R.O.
Fitness centre
27/01/2021
41.
44638/21
03/09/2021
OZETA, S.R.O.
Retail store
08/03/2021
42.
47365/21
17/09/2021
ORION TIP SK, A.S.
Betting agency
22/03/2021
43.
47371/21
17/09/2021
SLOVAK GAMES, S.R.O.
Betting agency
22/03/2021
44.
22488/22
29/04/2022
Matúš KARABIN
Fitness centre
11/10/2021
48.
22491/22
29/04/2022
Mikuláš BADO
Fitness centre
11/10/2021
46.
22741/22
29/04/2022
Peter MARCINA
Fitness centre
11/10/2021
47.
26276/22
17/05/2022
DENIM RETAIL S.R.O.
Retail store
22/11/2021
48.
26280/22
17/05/2022
SLOVAKIA MANGO FRANCHISEE S.R.O.
Retail store
22/11/2021