Moldova’s Government loses another case in Strasbourg

The Government of Moldova has been obliged on Thursday, April 12, by the European Court of Human Rights to pay roughly 400,000 million lei after losing the case “Ovcearov vs Moldova”. The 74-year-old plaintiff, Nicolai Ovcearov, appealed to ECHR after his numerous attempts to solve his problem in national courts had failed. On 22 January 1999, he bought a one-room apartment in Chisinau. The previous owner did not comply with his request to vacate the apartment and brought a counter action against Ovcearov, seeking the annulment of the sale contract. After trying to solve the problem in national courts, Ovcearov has not been able to move into his apartment to date. Relying on Article 6 § 1 (right to a fair hearing) and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property), Mr Ovciarov complained about the quashing of a final judgment in his favour. The Court held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 6 § 1 (right to a fair hearing) and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention (protection of property), and awarded the applicant EUR 22,300 in respect of pecuniary damage, EUR 2,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage and EUR 800 for costs and expenses. The Moldovan Government has lost almost 60 cases judged at ECHR and has been fined almost EUR 700,000, so far.