As Ukrainian Justice Minister Oleksandr Lavrynovych said, the European Court has declared admissible for further examination complaints by Ukrainian citizens against other states for the first time. As the press service of the Ministry of Justice notes, in particular, this is the case of a Ukrainian citizen against Bulgaria. In the complaint, the applicant notes the length of the investigation and criminal proceedings conducted by Bulgaria's competent authorities, in which he had the status of victim. He also challenged the duration of the failure to execute the relevant local court decision on the return of his property, which had been seized in connection with the criminal investigation. In addition, the applicant complains about the absence of effective remedies for his violated rights.
The European Court of Human Rights also declared admissible for further examination the case "Emanakova v. Russia" based on the complaint of a Ukrainian female citizen about the excessive length of consideration of a civil suit by Russian courts.
According to A. Lavrynovych, the European Court does not indicate the total number of complaints by Ukrainian citizens against other states. Nevertheless, it is known that since 1997 (the year Ukraine signed the International Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) Ukrainians have sent about eight thousand complaints to the European Court.
As of the end of 2003, the European Court of Human Rights had declared admissible for consideration six applications against Ukraine. Another 148 complaints against Ukraine, according to the minister, have been sent to the Ukrainian government for observations. These are cases that were not declared inadmissible by the European Court and will now be examined as to their admissibility.
A. Lavrynovych also recalled that since 1997 the European Court has delivered decisions on the merits of seven complaints by Ukrainian citizens. Ukraine fully implements the decisions of the European Court.