Strasbourg court rules against Hungary over tobacconist’s complaint

Brussels, January 13 (MTI) – The state of Hungary violated rules protecting private ownership when it stripped a tobacconist of his licence in 2013, the European Court of Human Rights, acting as a primary court, said in its non-binding ruling in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

The case was filed by Laszlo Vekony of Sopron in western Hungary, who lost his licence to sell tobacco products after Hungary decided to make the retail trade of tobacco a state monopoly.

The court’s ruling does not require the legislator to amend the rules. But it will require the Hungarian state to pay 15,000 euros in compensation and payment of an additional 6,000 euros in legal fees once the ruling becomes final.

The court ruling rests on the European Convention on Human Rights that states under its 1st Protocol the protection of private ownership. That clause establishes that everybody is entitled to “the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions”.

The provision also states that “no one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and by the general principles of international law.”