FOURTH SECTION

CASE OF NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA

(Application no. 35745/05)

JUDGMENT

STRASBOURG

11 December 2012

FINAL

29/04/2013
This judgment has become final under Article 44 § 2 of the Convention. It may be
subject to editorial revision.
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 1

In the case of Nenkova-Lalova v. Bulgaria,

The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting as a
Chamber composed of:
Ineta Ziemele, President,
David Thór Björgvinsson,
George Nicolaou,
Ledi Bianku,
Zdravka Kalaydjieva,
Paul Mahoney,
Krzysztof Wojtyczek, judges,
and Lawrence Early, Section Registrar,
Having deliberated in private on 20 November 2012,
Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:

PROCEDURE
1.  The case originated in an application (no. 35745/05) against the
Republic of Bulgaria lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
(“the Convention”) by a Bulgarian national, Ms Antoaneta Alexandrova
Nenkova-Lalova (“the applicant”), on 21 September 2005.
2.  The applicant was represented by Ms S. Margaritova-Vuchkova, a
lawyer practising in Sofia. The Bulgarian Government (“the Government”)
were represented by their Agent, Ms M. Kotseva, of the Ministry of Justice.
3.  The applicant, a radio journalist, complained, in particular, about her
disciplinary dismissal from work and about the alleged unfairness and the
length of the proceedings in which she had challenged that dismissal.
4.  On 17 December 2009 the Court (Fifth Section) decided to give the
Government notice of the complaints concerning the alleged interference
with the applicant’s right to freedom of expression and the length of the
proceedings in which she had challenged her dismissal. It was also decided
to rule on the admissibility and merits of the application at the same time
(Article 29 § 1 of the Convention).
5.  Following the re-composition of the Court’s sections on 1 February
2011, the application was transferred to the Fourth Section.
2 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

THE FACTS

I.  THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

A.  Background to the case

6.  The applicant was born in 1961 and lives in Sofia. She is a journalist
by profession. At the relevant time she was employed by the Bulgarian
National Radio (“BNR”). She is now working for the Bulgarian section of
Deutsche Welle.
7.  At the material time the applicant was an editor in the BNR’s “Hristo
Botev” programme, working as a member of the current affairs team. She
hosted a weekly radio show, “Good Day” („Добър ден”), which was
broadcast each Friday morning between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
8.  The BNR is a public broadcaster owned by the State. At the relevant
time its operations were regulated by the Radio and Television Act 1996
(see paragraphs 32-35 below).

B.  The radio show on 9 October 1998

9.  On Monday 5 October 1998 the editorial board of the “Hristo Botev”
programme met to discuss various issues arising in relation to shows
intended to be broadcast during the week. One of the programme’s
editor-in-chief, Mr A.M., put before the board a proposal for the applicant’s
show due for broadcast on 9 October 1998. The proposal was for the show
to include a discussion with another journalist employed as an editor by
BNR, Ms V.N. According to the minutes of the meeting, the board
“reject[ed] the proposed interlocutor [Ms V.N.]. [Mr A.M. was] against and
want[ed] a resolution by the [board].”
10.  On the morning of Friday 9 October 1998 the applicant hosted her
regular weekly show. Ms V.N. and several other journalists took part in it.
They discussed a number of journalistic investigations carried out by them.
They concerned, among other things, allegations of improper sales of
municipal land, alleged corruption by government officials, and the alleged
financing of the then ruling political party, the Union of Democratic Forces,
through the unlawful diversion of money from the customs. Several of the
items discussed during the show had been prepared by Ms V.N.

C.  The applicant’s disciplinary dismissal

11.  Later that day, 9 October 1998, two of the “Hristo Botev”
programme’s editors-in-chief, Mr I.R. and Ms M.P., gave written
explanations about the incident to the BNR director general. In his
explanations Mr I.R. said that the programme’s editorial board had resolved
at its meeting that Ms V.N. should not take part in the show as a host or as
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 3

an interlocutor, and that that resolution had been noted in the minutes and
signed by the board’s members. In her explanation Ms M.P. said that the
board had rejected Ms V.N.’s participation in the show, and that Mr A.M.
had noted his disagreement with that and had requested a resolution on that
point, which had been taken by means of a vote.
12.  The same day Mr I.R. and Ms M.P. also asked the applicant to
explain, in writing and not later than 4 p.m., why she had disregarded the
“resolution of the [editorial board] of 5 October [1998] which did not allow
the participation of [Ms V.N.]” in the show.
13.  In her reply, addressed to Mr I.R., the applicant pointed out that
Ms V.N. had not taken part in the show as an interlocutor, but as one of the
authors, together with three other journalists. She went on to specify that
Ms V.N.’s participation had altogether lasted one hundred and thirteen
minutes.
14.  The same day the BNR management board met to consider
“technical discipline” during the show on 9 October 1998. It found that by
allowing Ms V.N. to in effect host the show the applicant had breached the
editorial board’s resolution and the programme’s weekly schedule. It further
found that Ms V.N. had taken part in the show in disregard of the board’s
resolution, that Mr E.I., the show’s editor, had also breached the board’s
resolution and the weekly schedule, and that the editors-in-chief, Mr A.M.,
Mr I.R. and Ms M.P., had failed to exercise sufficient control over the
preparation and the running of the show. The board resolved to impose
disciplinary punishments on all them, to be determined in line with their
varying degrees of fault. It entrusted the execution of its resolution to the
BNR director general.
15.  On 12 October 1998 the BNR director general, relying on
Article 187(3), (7) and (10), Article 188(3), Article 190 § 1 (6) and
Article 330 § 2 (5) of the Labour Code 1986 (see paragraph 39 below),
dismissed the applicant on disciplinary grounds. The reasons given were
that she had allowed Ms V.N. to host the show in her stead, thus breaching
the technical rules on the operation of radio programmes, that she had
breached the programme coordination rules, that she had disregarded the
editorial board’s resolution rejecting the proposal for Ms V.N. to take part in
the show, and that she had breached Rule 7 of the “Hristo Botev”
programme and point 1 of order no. 4 of 9 June 1998 of the programme’s
director (see paragraphs 37 and 38 below).
16.  The BNR director general also dismissed Ms V.N. and Mr E.I.,
giving similar reasons.
17.  On 12 October 1998, during the regular Monday meeting of the
“Hristo Botev” programme’s editorial board, Mr A.M. (see paragraph 9
above) tendered his resignation, citing, among other things, the lack of clear
rules on who could and who could not host radio shows.
4 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

18.  Those events sparked a vigorous reaction in the media community

and prompted the publication of several articles deploring what the
journalists saw as an unjustified interference with their colleagues’ freedom
of expression. In a declaration of 14 October 1998 the Union of Bulgarian
Journalists protested against the dismissals of the applicant, Ms V.N. and
Mr E.I., saying that they were an example of “the appetite of forces alien to
the journalist profession to gag it”.

D.  The position of the National Radio and Television Committee

19.  The National Radio and Television Committee (“the NRTC”), the
chief media regulatory body in Bulgaria (see paragraph 36 below),
discussed the above events at a meeting on 26 October 1998.
20.  It observed that the dismissal orders did not cite any provisions of
the Radio and Television Act 1996, and that there was therefore no scope
for the NRTC to assess whether the radio show had complied with those
provisions. On the face of it, there existed a purely employment dispute,
which could be examined only by a court. However, the NRTC was
competent to verify whether the dismissals were consistent with the
1996 Act and the freedom of expression which it guaranteed.
21.  In the NRTC’s view, the main safeguard against encroachments on
freedom of expression in the national electronic media was the existence of
internal regulations and their proper implementation. The NRTC noted that
at three of its previous meetings it had discussed draft regulations drawn up
by the BNR management board, and had noted that they did not envisage
any mechanism governing the workings of the BNR collective bodies and
the journalists’ rights and obligations. The NRTC’s recommendation for
those matters to be addressed had not been heeded. The lack of precise
regulations was somewhat offset by the existence of rules governing the
workings of individual BNR programmes. However, the rules of the “Hristo
Botev” programme did not say on which legal provision they were based
and pre-dated the BNR regulations on which they were supposed to be
based. Those rules did not define clearly the competencies of the journalists
in their various professional capacities as authors, hosts, editors, reporters
and so on. Neither the BNR regulations nor the individual programmes’
rules dealt with the powers of collective bodies such as management and
editorial boards. The applicant’s and the two other journalists’ dismissals
showed that there existed confusion between administrative and
professional bodies, which made it possible to have administrative
interference in the content of radio shows. Rule 7 of the “Hristo Botev”
programme (see paragraph 37 below), mentioned in the dismissal orders,
was an example of that, because it said that changes in a show’s content
could be made solely by written order of the respective manager. The
editorial board’s resolution of 5 October 1998 as to who could and who
could not be an interlocutor in the show was also an example of that.
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 5

22.  In conclusion, the NRTC said that it did not accept the supplanting
of the pre-ordained rules for the operation of the BNR by administrative
actions and sanctions. However, that did not mean that the NRTC accepted
the attempts of some journalists to place themselves above the established
principles of work in the national media.

E.  The proceedings against the applicant’s dismissal

23.  On 1 March 1999 the applicant brought a civil claim against the
BNR, seeking annulment of the order for her disciplinary dismissal,
reinstatement and lost wages. She argued, among other things, that her
dismissal in connection with the show on 9 October 1998 and the statements
which Ms V.N. had made during the show had been in breach of Article 39
of the Constitution, section 4 of the Radio and Television Act 1996
(see paragraphs 31 and 33 below) and Article 10 of the Convention.
24.  The Sofia District Court (Софийски районен съд) held hearings in
the case on 2 June, 29 September, 3 November and 15 December 1999, and
8 March, 14 April, 2 June and 13 October 2000. It heard a number of
witnesses, admitted in evidence various documents, and obtained several
expert reports.
25.  On 13 November 2000 the Sofia District Court set the applicant’s
dismissal aside and partly allowed her claim for lost wages, awarding her
578.06 Bulgarian levs, plus interest, but refused her claim for reinstatement.
It found that the rules of disciplinary procedure had been breached in that
the applicant had not been properly invited to explain her actions before a
competent disciplinary authority. It went on to say that the order for the
applicant’s dismissal did not point to the specific disciplinary offences
committed by her, save for the breach of the editorial board’s resolution of
5 October 1998. However, the minutes of the board’s meeting showed that it
was far from clear whether any resolution had been adopted with regard to
the participation of Ms V.N. in the show. Lastly, the court found that,
despite having the duty to do so under Article 189 of the Labour Code 1986
(see paragraph 39 below), the BNR had failed to consider whether the
severity of the punishment corresponded to the gravity of the applicant’s
offence. The order for the applicant’s dismissal was therefore unlawful and
had to be set aside. She was accordingly entitled to lost wages, plus interest.
However, she could not be reinstated because the term of her employment
contract had come to an end on 31 December 1999, while the judicial
proceedings were pending.
26.  On 22 November 2000 the applicant appealed against the refusal of
her claim for reinstatement and the partial refusal of her claim for lost
wages. On 19 December 2000 the BNR also appealed, and on 29 January
2001 it rectified its appeal pursuant to instructions by the court. The Sofia
City Court (Софийски градски съд) held two hearings. The first took place
on 15 June 2001. The second, initially listed for 7 December 2001, was
6 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

adjourned because on that date the court’s building was sealed off by the
police due to a bomb threat, and took place on 8 May 2002.
27.  On 9 July 2002 the Sofia City Court quashed the lower court’s
judgment and refused the applicant’s claims. It found that the applicant had
been duly asked for an explanation by a competent disciplinary authority –
her line manager – prior to the imposition of her punishment. The court
went on to say that the order for the applicant’s dismissal had been issued in
line with the applicable requirements, had indicated the offender, the
offence, the punishment, and the legal provisions on which it had been
based. Moreover, the applicant had in fact committed the disciplinary
offence alleged against her. By allowing Ms V.N. to in fact host her show
for one hundred and thirteen minutes the applicant had not only breached
employment discipline but had also grossly violated basic rules of her work,
such as compliance with the resolutions of the editorial board. By trying to
present Ms V.N. as a “co-author” instead of an “interlocutor”, she had tried
to circumvent the editorial board’s resolution. Under Rule 7 of the “Hristo
Botev” programme (see paragraph 37 below), any changes in the content or
in the organisation of shows that had already been approved could be made
only by written decision of the appropriate manager. Therefore, after the
editorial board had approved the show on 9 October 1998, the applicant
should have informed it about the intended participation of Ms V.N. as a
co-author. By failing to do so, she had grossly breached the rules of the
“Hristo Botev” programme and had accordingly correctly been given the
harshest disciplinary punishment – dismissal.
28.  On 17 September 2002 the applicant appealed on points of law. She
raised several points, the bulk of which concerned alleged breaches of the
rules of disciplinary procedure. She also asserted, based on a number of
arguments concerning the lawfulness of the editorial board’s decision of
5 October 1998 and the lawfulness of the order for her dismissal, that she
had not committed a disciplinary offence. One of those arguments was
framed as follows:
“Disregarding ... [my] arguments concerning the lack of duly adopted rules
governing the workings of the ‘Hristo Botev’ programme at the time of [my]
dismissal, as well as the arguments concerning the unlawfulness of point 7 of those
Rules [see paragraph 37 below] on account of its being contrary to section 4(1)
and (2) of the Radio and Television Act [1996], Article 39 of the Constitution of the
Republic of Bulgaria [see paragraph 31 below] and Article 10 of the [Convention], the
[lower] court came to the erroneous conclusion that [I] had broken point 7 of the
Rules and that [my] punishment had therefore been lawful.”
29.  After hearing the appeal on 21 February 2005, in a judgment of
23 March 2005 (реш. № 346 от 23 март 2005 г. по гр. д. № 3642/2002 г.,
ВКС, ІІІ г. о.) the Supreme Court of Cassation (Върховен касационен съд)
upheld the lower court’s judgment. In its view, that court’s ruling that the
order for the applicant’s dismissal had been lawful corresponded to the
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 7

evidence, which showed that the order had been issued by a competent
disciplinary authority in line with the applicable rules of procedure and had
been duly reasoned. The court further found that the decision to dismiss the
applicant had been correct. By knowingly failing to comply with the
decision that Ms V.N. should not take part in her show, the applicant had
breached employment discipline within the meaning of the Labour Code
1986 (see paragraph 39 below). It was true that the BNR’s internal rules had
not envisaged an editorial board, but it could not be overlooked that the
meeting on 5 October 1998 had been attended by Mr I.R. and Ms M.P., both
of whom had been entrusted by the directors general of the BNR and the
“Hristo Botev” programme with managerial functions. Mr I.R. and Ms M.P.
had indicated that they did not agree with Ms V.N.’s intended participation
in the applicant’s show. Although the applicant had been aware of that, she
had allowed Ms V.N. to take part in her show, thus breaching employment
discipline within the meaning of Article 190 § 1 (6) of the Labour Code
1986 (see paragraph 39 below). The court went on to say that the applicant
should have also been aware of the orders of the directors general of the
BNR and of the “Hristo Botev” programme, which had been public and
available upon request. Lastly, the court held that the applicant’s dismissal
had not been contrary to Article 10 of the Convention, because that Article
allowed the licensing of broadcasting enterprises. Therefore, neither its
letter nor its spirit proscribed the existence of disagreements between those
entrusted with the task of framing a radio’s programme and those in charge
of current and operative issues. The same went for Article 39 of the
Constitution and section 4 of the Radio and Television Act 1996
(see paragraphs 31 and 33 below).

F.  The annulment of Ms V.N.’s and Mr E.I.’s dismissals

30.  Ms V.N. and Mr E.I., who were disciplinarily dismissed together
with the applicant (see paragraph 16 above), also challenged their dismissals
in court. It appears that Ms V.N.’s dismissal was eventually set aside in a
judgment which became final on 10 July 2008, and that Mr E.I.’s dismissal
was also eventually set aside.

II.  RELEVANT DOMESTIC LAW

A.  The Constitution
31.  The relevant provisions of the 1991 Constitution read as follows:

Article 39

“1.  Everyone is entitled to express an opinion or to publicise it through words,

written or oral, sound, or image, or in any other way.
8 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

2.  This right shall not be used to the detriment of the rights and reputation of others,
or for the incitement of a forcible change of the constitutionally established order, the
perpetration of a crime, or the incitement of enmity or violence against anyone.”

Article 40 § 1

“The press and the other mass media shall be free and not subject to censorship.”

Article 41 § 1

“Everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information. The exercise of that
right may not be directed against the rights and the good name of other citizens, nor
against national security, public order, public health or morals.”

B.  The Radio and Television Act 1996

32.  At the relevant time the operations of the BNR were governed by the
Radio and Television Act 1996. In the end of November 1998 it was
superseded by the Radio and Television Act 1998, which is still in force.
33.  Section 4 of the 1996 Act provided that the creation and the
broadcasting of radio programmes had to comply with, among others, the
principles of freedom of expression and pluralism in the expression of
opinion.
34.  Section 46(1) provided that the BNR was a public organisation
engaging in radio activities of national importance. It broadcast one
international and two national programmes (section 47(1)). It was a legal
person based in Sofia (section 46(2)), and an independent organisation;
other bodies and authorities could not interfere with its activities except
where provided for by law (section 48). Its governing bodies were the
management board, the programme board and the director general
(section 50(1)).
35.  The editorial rights and duties of journalists employed by the BNR
were to be governed by rules adopted by the BNR management board,
following consultation with the BNR journalists’ trade unions
(section 49(2)). Journalists’ rights could not be restricted on the basis of
their political affiliations (section 49(1)).
36.  The NRTC was an independent body responsible for protecting
freedom of expression, the independence of radio and television operators
and the interests of the audience (sections 8(2) of the 1996 Act). It was
entrusted with, among other things, supervising the activities of radio and
television broadcasters (section 15(1)), and with electing and dismissing the
BNR director general (section 15(5)).
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 9

C.  The rules and internal orders of the “Hristo Botev” programme

37.  Rule 7 of the BNR “Hristo Botev” programme, as in force at the
relevant time, provided that any changes in the content, the organisation or
the technology of a radio show could be effected only by order of the
respective manager.
38.  Point 1 of order no. 4 of 9 June 1998 of the director of “Hristo
Botev” provided that the hosts of live radio shows had to appear not less
than twenty minutes in advance with a scenario prepared in advance and
indicating the time bands and the connection of outside sources (such as
mobile radio stations and telephones). They also had to acquaint the sound
editor with the show’s scenario and organisation and give the editor timely
and specific instructions for any necessary changes.

D.  The Labour Code 1986

39.  The disciplinary punishment of employees is regulated by
Articles 186-90 of the Labour Code 1986; Articles 192-98 govern the
applicable procedure. By Article 186, a failure to comply with one’s
employment duties amounts to a breach of employment discipline.
Article 187 sets out a non-exhaustive list of such breaches, which may
consist in a failure to comply with technical or technological rules (point 3),
a failure to comply with a lawful order of one’s employer (point 7), or a
failure to comply with other duties stemming from statutes, statutory
instruments, internal regulations or collective labour agreements, or with
duties laid down upon hiring (point 10). Article 188 provides that the
disciplinary punishments available are a reprimand, a dismissal warning and
dismissal. In choosing which of those punishments to impose, the employer
must take into account the gravity of the breach, the circumstances in which
it was made, and the employee’s conduct (Article 189 § 1).
Article 190 § 1 (6), as in force at the relevant time
(currently Article 190 § 1 (7)), provided that an employee could be
disciplinarily dismissed for serious breaches of employment discipline.
Article 330 § 2 (5), as in force at the relevant time, provided that in case of
disciplinary dismissal an employer was to terminate the employment
without notice.

THE LAW

I.  ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 10 OF THE CONVENTION

40.  The applicant complained under Article 10 of the Convention that
her disciplinary dismissal, ostensibly on technical grounds, had in reality
been a sanction for the way in which she had exposed corrupt practices
10 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

during her radio show on 9 October 1998. She submitted that that dismissal
had been unlawful, had not pursued a legitimate aim and had not been
necessary in a democratic society.
41.  Article 10 of the Convention provides:
“1.  Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include
freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without
interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not
prevent states from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema
enterprises.

2.  The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities,
may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are
prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of
national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or
crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or
rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence,
or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.”

A.  The parties’ submissions

1.  The Government
42.  The Government submitted that the case concerned an employment
dispute and the applicant’s dismissal for breaching employment discipline,
and that there had therefore been no interference with her freedom of
expression. They pointed out in that connection that the Court had many
times said that it was not its task to act as a court of appeal from the national
courts or to re-examine the merits of cases before those courts. It could not
therefore re-examine points touching upon the lawfulness of the order for
the applicant’s dismissal.
43.  In the alternative, the Government submitted that any interference
with the applicant’s right to freedom of expression had been prescribed by
law – Article 330 § 2 (5) of the Labour Code 1986 – and based on clear and
foreseeable rules. The applicant had been aware of the BNR management’s
decision, but had deliberately chosen to disregard it. She must have known
that such conduct could have attracted serious sanctions. The interference
had therefore been prescribed by law and had sought to protect the
reputation and rights of others.
44.  The interference had also been necessary in a democratic society. It
was clear that the applicant had committed a disciplinary offence. The
sanction had been proportionate to the gravity of that offence. The applicant
had had a domestic remedy allowing her to challenge her dismissal in court,
and had availed herself of that opportunity. It was also important to point
out that the BNR management had not voiced disagreement with the topics
intended to be included in the applicant’s show, had not tried to ban the
airing of any material – such as those concerning alleged corruption and the
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 11

customs –, and had not sought to impose any changes to the show’s script
with a view to censoring it. The show had not been taken off the air. The
editorial board’s resolution of 5 October 1998 had prohibited only the
intended participation of Ms V.N. in the show, for reasons which could be
deduced from the ensuing explanations of Mr I.R. and Ms M.P. to the BNR
director general, as well as from the position taken by the NRTC. The BNR
was a national media which had a large number of listeners, traditions and
authority, and no real competitors in the sphere of political journalism on
radio. Such a media had to abide by certain internal rules enforced by its
management, and decisions as to the content of its shows could not be taken
single-handedly. Contrary to what she was alleging, the applicant had been
acquainted with the editorial board’s resolution that Ms V.N. should not
take part in her show, which had apparently been adopted after a vote. All of
that showed that the conflict between the applicant and the BNR
management was rather the result of differences of principle, and did not
concern the journalistic investigations conducted by Ms V.N. and the three
other journalists. The applicant had in effect allowed Ms V.N. to take over
her show, thus circumventing the editorial board’s resolution. That
resolution could not be regarded as a form of censorship because it had not
proscribed the discussion of any topics or changes to the substantive content
of the show. It had merely barred Ms V.N. – not the applicant or the other
journalists who had taken part in the journalistic investigations discussed
during the show – to be put on air.

2.  The applicant
45.  The applicant submitted that her dismissal had been the result of the
airing in her show of the results of journalistic investigations that revealed
unpleasant facts about the then ruling political party. There had been a
direct causal link between her show and the ensuing disciplinary measures
against her. Those measures had infringed her freedom of expression. She
had had the right to select the persons who were to take part in the show,
and had not breached the technical rules or the weekly schedule, because
she had obtained the agreement of the editor in charge, who had approved
the show’s script, topics and participants. Her disciplinary dismissal had had
nothing to do with the breaches set out in the order of the BNR director
general, and the ensuing dispute had been an employment one only
ostensibly, while in reality having a deeply political subtext. That
assessment had been shared by the entire journalistic guild, and had been
reflected in declarations made by the Union of Bulgarian Journalists and
other organisations. Even the Supreme Court of Cassation had, by saying in
its judgment in the applicant’s case that Article 10 of the Convention
allowed limitations on the exercise of freedom of expression, acknowledged
that the applicant’s dismissal had related to the exercise of her freedom of
expression. That dismissal had been a direct result of the exercise of the
12 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

applicant’s profession as a journalist and of the disclosure of unpleasant

facts about the then ruling political party.
46.  The applicant went on to argue that her dismissal had not been
prescribed by law. The disciplinary proceedings against her had not
complied with the Labour Code 1986 – a fact established by the
first-instance court – because she had not been properly asked to give
explanations for her conduct and because the persons who had taken part in
the proceedings had not been duly constituted disciplinary authorities. The
alleged breaches of discipline to which the Government alluded in their
observations had not been laid down in any statute or internal rule of the
BNR; they had been breaches of non-existent rules issued by bodies that by
law did not exist. As evident from the minutes of its meeting of 5 October
1998, the editorial board had not formally resolved to bar Ms V.N. from
taking part in the applicant’s show. However, even if it had done so, its
resolution would have amounted to censorship and would have been invalid.
The NRTC had found that the BNR’s internal rules had not clearly set out
the powers of its collective bodies, and those rules did not identify clearly
the roles of the various persons who were to take part in radio shows. There
had therefore been no clear legal basis for holding the applicant liable.
47.  The applicant also challenged the Government’s assertion that the
measures taken against her had sought to protect the reputation and rights of
others. It was unclear who those others were and what form of protection
they needed. Her entire show had been devoted to informing the public
about abuses committed by persons close to the then ruling political party.
The public was entitled to know about the sale of municipal plots at reduced
prices, abuses and the diversion of funds in the customs, and the strange
restitutions of prime properties. The Government’s assertion was just
evidence of the State’s wish to interfere with the free dissemination of
information of current public interest. The applicant had not encroached on
any of the interests protected under Article 10 § 2 of the Convention, and
there had therefore been no need to take any measures against her.
48.  Lastly, the applicant submitted that the measures taken against her
had not been necessary in a democratic society. Contrary to what the
Government suggested, there had been no formal resolution of the editorial
board – which was anyway not a duly constituted body – as to who should
or should not take part in her show, and no vote had been taken on that
issue, as was evident from the minutes of the board’s meeting. An expert
report obtained by the first-instance court showed that the applicant had
remained the show’s host.
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 13

B.  The Court’s assessment

1.  Admissibility
49.  In as much as the Government asserted that the case concerned a
purely employment dispute and the applicant’s dismissal had not amounted
to an interference with her rights under Article 10 of the Convention, the
Court considers that this issue is closely linked to the substance of the
applicant’s complaint under that provision and is more appropriately
addressed at the merits stage. The Court further considers that the complaint
is not manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) of the
Convention or inadmissible on any other grounds. It must therefore be
declared admissible.

2.  Merits
50.  The Court starts by observing that the applicant’s status as an
employee of the BNR did not deprive her of the protection of Article 10 of
the Convention (see Manole and Others v. Moldova, no. 13936/02, § 103,
17 September 2009). Far from it – having regard to the applicant’s position
as a journalist, any interference with her freedom of expression calls for
close scrutiny on the part of the Court. However, to determine whether the
applicant’s rights under Article 10 have been infringed, the Court must first
ascertain whether her disciplinary dismissal amounted to an interference –
in the form of a “formality, condition, restriction or penalty” – with the
exercise of her freedom of expression, or whether it lay within the sphere of
the right to employment, a right not secured in the Convention or its
Protocols. To answer that question, the Court needs to determine the scope
of the measure by putting it in the context of the facts of the case and of the
relevant legislation (see Glasenapp v. Germany, 28 August 1986, § 50,
Series A no. 104; Kosiek v. Germany, 28 August 1986, § 36, Series A
no. 105; Wille v. Liechtenstein [GC], no. 28396/95, § 43, ECHR 1999-VII;
Harabin v. Slovakia (dec.), no. 62584/00, 29 June 2004; and
Otto v. Germany (dec.), no. 27574/02, 24 November 2005).
51.  The Court considers that the reasons given for the applicant’s
dismissal should be at the centre of its attention when carrying out the above
inquiry. However, the measure taken against the applicant has to be seen
also in the light of the subsequent proceedings in which she challenged that
dismissal.
52.  The Court observes, firstly, that the applicant’s dismissal was based
on her failure to heed an editorial decision concerning an issue of internal
organisation of the BNR, namely the choice of BNR employees who were
to take part in a radio show and their respective roles. The Court secondly
notes that the focus of the ensuing proceedings was on whether that
dismissal had complied with the substantive and procedural rules governing
14 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

the disciplinary liability of employees. However, the applicant also

formulated an allegation that her dismissal had been in breach of her right to
freedom of expression, and the Supreme Court of Cassation dealt, albeit
briefly, with that argument (see paragraphs 23, 28 and 29 in fine above).
53.  It is therefore open to question whether the applicant’s dismissal lay
within the sphere of the right to employment or amounted to an interference
with her right to freedom of expression. Nonetheless, the Court is prepared
to proceed on the basis that Article 10 of the Convention is applicable to the
facts of the case, and that the applicant’s dismissal did amount to an
interference with her rights under that provision. It must therefore be
determined whether that interference was “prescribed by law”, pursued one
or more legitimate aims under paragraph 2 thereof, and was “necessary in a
democratic society”.
54.  The Court finds that the interference was “prescribed by law” – the
relevant provisions of the Labour Code 1986 (see paragraph 15 above). In
so far as the applicant claimed, based on the findings of the first-instance
court which dealt with her legal challenge against her dismissal, that the
disciplinary proceedings against her had failed to comply with the
procedural requirements laid down in that Code, the Court observes that the
judgment of that court was later overturned, in the context of the same
proceedings and without having acquired legal force, by higher courts at
two levels of jurisdiction, and that those higher courts found that the
disciplinary proceedings against the applicant had been in line with the
relevant legal provisions (see paragraphs 27 and 29 above). The Court
observes in this connection that it is primarily for the national courts to
interpret and apply domestic law (see, among many other authorities,
Thorgeir Thorgeirson v. Iceland, 25 June 1992, § 58, Series A no. 239, and
Casado Coca v. Spain, 24 February 1994, § 43, Series A no. 285-A).
Although the Court can and should exercise a certain power of review in
this matter, since failure to comply with domestic law entails a breach of
Article 10 of the Convention, the scope of its task is subject to limits
inherent in the subsidiary nature of the Convention, and it cannot question
the way in which the domestic courts have interpreted and applied national
law except in cases of flagrant non-observance or arbitrariness (see, mutatis
mutandis, Weber and Saravia v. Germany (dec.), no. 54934/00, § 90,
ECHR 2006-XI, and Goranova- Karaeneva v. Bulgaria, no. 12739/05, § 46,
8 March 2011). The Court does not consider that the Sofia City Court’s and
the Supreme Court of Cassation’s judgments were arbitrary. Contrary to the
applicant’s averment, those courts explained, albeit briefly, why they were
of the view that she had acted in breach of employment discipline within the
meaning of the relevant provisions of the Code (see paragraphs 27 and 29
above), and their rulings on this point cannot be regarded as manifestly
erroneous or arbitrary. In view of these considerations, the Court concludes
that the interference was lawful in terms of Bulgarian law. The applicant has
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 15

not sought to argue that that the relevant provisions of the Labour Code
1986 were not sufficiently accessible or foreseeable.
55.  The Court is further satisfied that the measure against the applicant,
in as much as it was intended to ensure that the broadcasts of the BNR were
in line with the editorial decisions taken by the radio’s governing bodies in
the interests of listeners and with the requirements of balanced reporting
expected of a public broadcasting organisation, sought to protect the rights
of others.
56.  It remains to be established whether the interference was “necessary
in a democratic society”.
57.  More specifically, the Court has to determine whether the sanction
imposed on the applicant – disciplinary dismissal – was proportionate in
relation to the circumstances of the case. In dealing with this point, the
Court will take particular account of the reasons given for the applicant’s
punishment, the context in which that punishment was imposed, and the
applicant’s “duties and responsibilities” as a journalist in a public
broadcasting organisation. The Court will also have regard to the general
principles concerning pluralism in the audiovisual media, which were
recently set out in paragraphs 95-102 of its judgment in the case of
Manole and Others (cited above) and paragraphs 129-34 of its judgment in
the case of Centro Europa 7 S.R.L. and di Stefano v. Italy ([GC],
no. 38433/09, ECHR 2012-...). It will also have regard to the right of public
broadcasters to set their editorial policy, in line with the public interest.
58.  Bearing in mind all of the above factors, the Court finds that the
applicant’s dismissal cannot be regarded as a disproportionate measure, for
two reasons.
59.  First, the applicant’s dismissal was based on her wilful disregard of
an editorial decision concerning an issue of internal organisation of the
BNR, namely the choice of BNR employees who were to take part in a
radio show (see paragraphs 11-13 and 15 above). Indeed, when taking
disciplinary action against the applicant the BNR management board and
the BNR director general specifically noted that she had in effect allowed
Ms V.N. to host her show in her stead (see paragraphs 14 and 15 above)
Neither the editorial decision nor the order for the applicant’s dismissal
mentioned or imposed any limitations on the topics to be discussed during
her show, or on the substantive content or manner of presentation of the
information broadcast during the show (contrast, mutatis mutandis,
Purcell  and Others v. Ireland, no. 15404/89, Commission decision of
16 April 1991, Decisions and Reports 70, p. 262; Brind and Others
v. the United Kingdom, no. 18714/91, Commission decision of 9 May 1994,
unreported; and Fuentes Bobo v. Spain, no. 39293/98, § 45, 29 February
2000). The Court cannot therefore agree with the applicant that her
dismissal was intended to prevent the dissemination of information of
public interest. The situation in the present case thus appears far removed
16 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

from that obtaining in Manole and Others (cited above, §§ 104-06 and 112),
where the Court was faced with a situation where a public broadcasting
organisation was systematically required to avoid certain topics considered
harmful to the Government and to devote a disproportionate amount of
airtime to reporting on the acts of members of the ruling political party, with
little or no coverage of the acts and views of opposition parties. By contrast,
in the present case the applicant’s dismissal appears to have been a result of
her failure to abide by the “duties and responsibilities” undertaken as a
journalist employed by a public broadcasting organisation. Her capacity as
such a journalist did not automatically entitle her to pursue, unchecked, a
policy that ran counter to that outlined by her employer, to flout legitimate
editorial decisions taken by the BNR’s management and intended to ensure
balanced broadcasting on topics of public interest, or to have unlimited
access to BNR’s air. There is nothing in the facts of the present case to
suggest that the decisions of the BNR’s management in relation to the
applicant’s show were taken under pressure from the outside or that the
BNR’s management was subject to outside interferences.
60.  Secondly, employers generally enjoy a broad discretion in
determining the sanction that is best adapted to breaches of employment
discipline (see, mutatis mutandis, Palomo Sánchez and Others v. Spain
[GC], nos. 28955/06, 28957/06, 28959/06 and 28964/06, § 75,
ECHR 2011-...). In the instant case, the BNR management board entrusted
that decision to the BNR director general, instructing him to take into
account the degree of the applicant’s fault (see paragraph 14 in fine above).
The director general came to the view that the appropriate disciplinary
punishment was dismissal (see paragraph 15 above). His decision in that
respect was subjected to scrutiny by the domestic courts. The first-instance
court found that he had failed to consider whether the severity of the
punishment corresponded to the gravity of the applicant’s offence
(see paragraph 25 above). The appellate and the cassation courts were, on
the contrary, satisfied that the gravity of the disciplinary breach committed
by the applicant was sufficient to warrant her dismissal (see paragraphs 27
and 29 above). The Court, for its part, observes that it is true that dismissal
by way of disciplinary sanction is a severe measure (see Fuentes Bobo, cited
above, § 49). However, it cannot be overlooked that it was prompted by
concrete and deliberate actions on the part of the applicant – who in effect
allowed Ms V.N. to host her show in her stead, letting her speak for one
hundred and thirteen minutes out of one hundred and twenty (see
paragraphs 13-15 above) – which showed that her employer could not trust
her to perform her duties in good faith (contrast Vogt v. Germany,
26 September 1995, § 60, Series A no. 323, and Wille v. Liechtenstein [GC],
no. 28396/95, § 69, ECHR 1999-VII). The Court has already had occasion
to observe, although in a different context, that the national authorities may
be justified in insisting that employment relations should be based on
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 17

mutual trust (see Palomo Sánchez and Others, cited above, § 76); this is
even more so when it comes to journalists employed by a public
broadcasting organisation. It should be noted in this connection that BNR,
as a public broadcaster, bore responsibility for statements made on air
(see, mutatis mutandis, Radio France and Others v. France, no. 53984/00,
§ 24, ECHR 2004-II).
61.  In sum, the Court does not consider that the applicant has established
that her dismissal was intended to stifle her freedom to express herself
rather than enable the public broadcasting organisation by which she was
employed – the BNR – to ensure the requisite discipline in its broadcasts, in
line with its “duties and responsibilities” under Article 10 of the
Convention.
62.  There has therefore been no violation of that provision.

II.  ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE

CONVENTION

A.  The alleged bias of the courts

63.  The applicant complained under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention that
the Sofia City Court and the Supreme Court of Cassation had been biased,
because they had wrongly assessed the evidence, had grossly misconstrued
the applicable law, including Article 10 of the Convention, and had not
approached the case as neutral adjudicators, instead seeking to justify her
dismissal.
64.  Article 6 § 1 of the Convention provides, in so far as relevant:
“1.  In the determination of his civil rights and obligations ..., everyone is entitled to
a fair ... hearing ... by an independent and impartial tribunal ...”
65.  The Court considers that although the applicant sought to frame this
complaint as a bias issue, it is in effect of a fourth-instance character. Her
criticism is directed against the manner in which the Sofia City Court and
the Supreme Court of Cassation established the facts and construed and
applied the law. However, the Court is not a court of appeal from the
national courts, and it is not its function to deal with errors of fact or law
allegedly committed by those courts (see, among other authorities,
Rumyana Ivanova v. Bulgaria, no. 36207/03, § 39, 14 February 2008).
The Court does not consider that the Sofia City Court’s and the Supreme
Court of Cassation’s judgments were arbitrary, and reiterates that it is
primarily for the national authorities, notably the courts, to interpret and
apply domestic law (ibid., § 43).
66.  The Court would also point out that according to its case-law the fact
that a judge hearing a litigant’s case rules against him or her does not in
itself constitute proof of bias (see Sofri and Others v. Italy (dec.),
no. 37235/97, ECHR 2003-VIII; Bracci v. Italy, no. 36822/02, § 52,
18 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

13 October 2005; Previti v. Italy (dec.), no. 45291/06, § 258, 8 December

2009; and Petrov v. Bulgaria (dec.), no. 27103/04, 2 November 2010).
The Sofia City Court and the Supreme Court of Cassation gave reasons for
their judgments, and those reasons do not evince any bias against the
applicant (contrast Kyprianou v. Cyprus [GC], no. 73797/01, § 130,
ECHR 2005-XIII).
67.  It follows that this complaint is manifestly ill-founded and must be
rejected in accordance with Article 35 §§ 3 (a) and 4 of the Convention.

B.  The length of the proceedings

68.  The applicant complained under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention of
the length of the proceedings in which she had challenged her dismissal.
69.  Article 6 § 1 of the Convention provides, in so far as relevant:
“In the determination of his civil rights and obligations ..., everyone is entitled to
a ... hearing within a reasonable time ...”
70.  The Government submitted that there had been no delays in the
examination of the applicant’s case by the first- and the second-instance
courts. The delay in the proceedings before the Supreme Court of Cassation
had been entirely due to the large number of cases pending before that court
at the time.
71.  The applicant submitted that the proceedings in her case had lasted
longer than permissible under Bulgarian law, which laid down strict
time-limits on the duration of employment proceedings. The Government
had not explained why the proceedings before the second-instance court,
which had not gathered any fresh evidence, had taken more than a year and
a half. The reason proffered for the delay before the Supreme Court of
Cassation was not valid either.
72.  The Court considers that this complaint is not manifestly ill-founded
within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) of the Convention or inadmissible
on any other grounds. It must therefore be declared admissible.
73.  The proceedings lasted in total six years and almost one month, for
three levels of jurisdiction. There were no identifiable delays in the
proceedings before the first-instance court. The applicant criticised the
second-instance court for taking more than a year and a half to dispose of
the case. The Court is unable to agree that that period was excessive. It
notes that a hearing listed before that court for 7 December 2001 had to be
adjourned on account of a bomb threat, for which the authorities cannot be
held responsible (see paragraph 26 above). It is true that the period of
adjournment – approximately six months – could have been shorter, but the
Court does not consider that it in itself rendered the length of the
proceedings unreasonable. Nor does the Court consider that the national
courts’ failure to comply with the domestic-law time-limits on the duration
of employment proceedings automatically rendered the length of the
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 19

proceedings unreasonable. Failure to abide by time-limits prescribed by

domestic law does not in itself contravene the “reasonable time”
requirement of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention (see Goranova-Karaeneva,
cited above, § 73, with further references). That said, the Court notes that
recently, in Nikolov and Others v. Bulgaria (nos. 44184/05, 22250/06 and
37182/07, §§ 37-42, 21 February 2012), it found that delays of about two
years in the examination of appeals on points of law by the Supreme Court
of Cassation, in proceedings in which the applicants had been challenging
their dismissals from work, had been in breach of the reasonable-time
requirement, because a very high level of diligence was required of the
authorities in such cases in view of the stakes involved. The Court sees no
reason to hold otherwise in the present case, where the Supreme Court of
Cassation took almost two and a half years to dispose of the applicant’s
appeal on points of law.
74.  There has therefore been a violation of Article 6 § 1 of the
Convention.

III.  ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 1 OF PROTOCOL No. 1

75.  The applicant complained under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 that by
refusing her claims, which had been allowed at first instance by the Sofia
District Court, the Sofia City Court and the Supreme Court of Cassation had
deprived her of the lost wages to which was entitled.
76.  Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 provides:
“Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his
possessions. 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.

The preceding provisions shall not, however, in any way impair the right of a State
to enforce such laws as it deems necessary to control the use of property in
accordance with the general interest or to secure the payment of taxes or other
contributions or penalties.”
77.  The Court observes that although the Sofia District Court ruled
partly in favour of the applicant and awarded her lost wages, plus interest,
its judgment was subsequently overturned, in the context of the same
proceedings and without having acquired legal force, by higher courts at
two levels of jurisdiction. The Court, which has only limited power to deal
with alleged errors of fact or law committed by the national courts, finds no
appearance of arbitrariness in the way in which those higher courts decided
the applicant’s case. The Sofia District Court’s judgment did not therefore
give rise to a possession within the meaning of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1
(see Kopecký v. Slovakia [GC], no. 44912/98, § 59, ECHR 2004-IX).
A judgment which is not final but subject to review by two superior courts
cannot be regarded as giving rise to a debt that is sufficiently established to
20 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

be enforceable (see Stran Greek Refineries and Stratis Andreadis v. Greece,

9 December 1994, §§ 60-61, Series A no. 301-B).
78.  It follows that this complaint is incompatible ratione materiae with
the provisions of the Convention within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a)
and must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 § 4.

IV.  APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION

79.  Article 41 of the Convention provides:
“If the Court finds that there has been a violation of the Convention or the Protocols
thereto, and if the internal law of the High Contracting Party concerned allows only
partial reparation to be made, the Court shall, if necessary, afford just satisfaction to
the injured party.”

A.  Damage
80.  The applicant claimed 10,000 euros (EUR) in compensation for
non-pecuniary damage. She submitted that following her dismissal she had
for two years been unable to find employment, with many media owners
being reluctant to hire her while the political party that she had criticised
was still in power, and had fallen into social isolation. She had felt unjustly
punished for having carried out her duty as a journalist. The lengthy
proceedings against her dismissal, with all the insecurity entailed by them,
had added to her frustration. The memory of the impugned events and of the
ensuing long period of unemployment was still haunting her.
81.  The applicant also claimed 1,477 Bulgarian levs (BGR)
(the equivalent of EUR 755.18) in compensation for pecuniary damage. She
submitted that this was the amount of compensation awarded to her by the
Sofia District Court for loss of wages, plus interest.
82.  The Government submitted that the applicant’s claim in respect of
non-pecuniary damage was exorbitant, and that any award made by the
Court under this head should not exceed the awards made in previous
similar cases. They left it to the Court to determine in equity the award in
respect of pecuniary damage.
83.  The Court observes that in the present case an award of just
satisfaction can be based only on the breach of the reasonable-time
requirement of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention. As the Court finds no causal
link between that breach and the pecuniary damage allegedly suffered by
the applicant, it makes no award under this head. By contrast, the Court
considers that the applicant must have sustained some non-pecuniary
damage on account of the breach, and that that damage cannot be made
good solely by the finding of a violation. Ruling in equity, as required under
Article 41 of the Convention, the Court awards the applicant EUR 585, plus
any tax that may be chargeable.
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 21

B.  Costs and expenses

84.  The applicant sought reimbursement of EUR 3,750 incurred in fees
for sixty-two and a half hours of work by her legal representative on the
proceedings before the Court, at the rate of EUR 60 per hour. She submitted
a fee agreement and a time sheet, and requested that any sum awarded by
the Court under this head be made directly payable to her legal
representative. The applicant also sought reimbursement of BGR 280 for the
translation of documents and BGR 40 for postage. In support of those
claims she presented a contract for translation services and postal receipts.
85.  The Government submitted that the claim was exorbitant. They
contested the number of hours spent by the applicant’s legal representative
on the case, and suggested that in assessing the quantum of the award the
Court should have regard to the realities in Bulgaria and its past practice.
86.  According to the Court’s case-law, costs and expenses claimed under
Article 41 of the Convention must have been actually and necessarily
incurred and reasonable as to quantum. When considering a claim in respect
of costs and expenses for the proceedings before it, the Court is not bound
by domestic scales or standards (see, as a recent authority,
Mileva  and Others v. Bulgaria, nos. 43449/02 and 21475/04, § 125,
25 November 2010).
87.  Having regard to the materials in its possession, the above
considerations, and the facts that the bulk of the application was declared
inadmissible, the Court finds it reasonable to award the applicant EUR 500,
plus any tax that may be chargeable to her, in respect of her legal costs. This
sum is to be paid directly to the applicant’s legal representative.
88.  Concerning the claim for other expenses, the Court, noting that the
applicant has provided documents supporting the claim and that the
Government have not contested it, considers it reasonable to award the
entire sum claimed by the applicant. It therefore awards the applicant
BGR 320, plus any tax that may be chargeable to her.

C.  Default interest
89.  The Court considers it appropriate that the default interest rate
should be based on the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank,
to which should be added three percentage points.

FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT

1.  Declares, by a majority, the complaint concerning the alleged
interference with the applicant’s right to freedom of expression
admissible;
22 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT

2.  Declares unanimously the complaint concerning the length of the

proceedings in which the applicant challenged her dismissal admissible
and the remainder of the application inadmissible;

3.  Holds, by four votes to three, that there has been no violation of

Article 10 of the Convention;

4.  Holds unanimously that there has been a violation of Article 6 § 1 of the

Convention on account of the unreasonable length of the proceedings in
which the applicant challenged her dismissal;

5.  Holds unanimously
(a)  that the respondent State is to pay the applicant, within three months
from the date on which the judgment becomes final in accordance with
Article 44 § 2 of the Convention, the following amounts, to be converted
into the currency of the respondent State at the rate applicable at the date
of settlement:
(i)  EUR 585 (five hundred and eighty-five euros), plus any tax that
may be chargeable, in respect of non-pecuniary damage;
(ii)  EUR 500 (five hundred euros) and BGR 320 (three hundred
and twenty Bulgarian levs), plus any tax that may be chargeable to
the applicant, in respect of costs and expenses, the former sum to be
paid directly to the applicant’s legal representative,
Ms S. Margaritova-Vuchkova;
(b)  that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until
settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amounts at a
rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank
during the default period plus three percentage points;

6.  Dismisses unanimously the remainder of the applicant’s claim for just

satisfaction.

Done in English, and notified in writing on 11 December 2012, pursuant

to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.

Lawrence Early Ineta Ziemele

Registrar President
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT 23

In accordance with Article 45 § 2 of the Convention and Rule 74 § 2 of

the Rules of Court, the separate opinion of Judges Ziemele, Nicolaou and
Bianku is annexed to this judgment.

I.Z.
T.L.E.
24 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT – SEPARATE OPINION

PARTLY DISSENTING OPINION OF JUDGES ZIEMELE,

NICOLAOU AND BIANKU
While we agree with the conclusion that there has been a breach of
Article 6 § 1 of the Convention on account of unreasonable length of
proceedings in the applicant’s case, to our regret we are unable to agree with
the opinion of the majority that there has been no violation of Article 10 of
the Convention.
The majority accepts that the applicant, as a journalist employed by the
BNR, a public broadcaster, enjoys the protection of Article 10 of the
Convention (see the reference in paragraph 50 of the judgment to
Manole and Others v. Moldova, no. 13936/02, § 103, 17 September 2009).
Therefore, any interference with her employment requires the closest
scrutiny on the part of the Court, involving all the circumstances
surrounding the dismissal of the applicant. The following are the reasons for
our concern over her dismissal and for our view that there has been a
violation of Article 10.
First, we recall the fact that the BNR is a public broadcaster. The place of
public broadcasting in a democratic society is of special importance. The
Court highlighted this in paragraph 101 of Manole and Others (cited
above):
“Where a State does decide to create a public broadcasting system, it follows from
the principles outlined above that domestic law and practice must guarantee that the
system provides a pluralistic service. Particularly where private stations are still too
weak to offer a genuine alternative and the public or State organisation is therefore the
sole or the dominant broadcaster within a country or region, it is indispensable for the
proper functioning of democracy that it transmits impartial, independent and balanced
news, information and comment and in addition provides a forum for public
discussion in which as broad a spectrum as possible of views and opinions can be
expressed.” [see also § 107 of the same judgment].
In Manole and Others the Court took into consideration several Council
of Europe documents which deal in depth with this issue,1 and we note their
further development since that judgment2. Most of these documents
underline the importance of a proper legislative and regulatory framework
1
.  See the reference in paragraph 102 of the Manole and Others judgement to Resolution
No. 1 on “The Future of Public Service Broadcasting” (1994), to Recommendation
no. R(96)10 on “The Guarantee of the Independence of Public Service Broadcasting”
(1996), and to the Appendix to Recommendation Rec(2000)23 on “The Independence and
Functions of Regulatory Authorities for the Broadcasting Sector”
2
.  See Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)1 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States
on public service media governance (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on
15 February 2012 at the 1134th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies) (with Appendix to
Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)1 on Guiding principles for public service media
governance), and Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on Public Service Media
Governance (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 15 February 2012 at the 1134th
meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies)
 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT – SEPARATE OPINION 25

for the functioning of public media enterprises for the purposes of Article 10
of the Convention. The Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on Public
Service Media Governance provides:
“Public service media need to show that their own governance systems subject any
decision to proper scrutiny, while ensuring that any external oversight
(by governments or independent regulators) do not undermine the organisation’s
independence. As is also the case for public service media undergoing a transition
from State to public institutions, it is essential to define the necessary levels of
independence from the State. This should be balanced by accountability to a wide
range of stakeholders and coupled with a culture that is open to new ideas and which
demonstrates high levels of professional integrity.”
In the present case, the organisation and the functioning of the BNR were
open to doubt. The first to raise these concerns was the NRTC, the chief
media regulatory body in Bulgaria. As indicated in paragraph 21 of the
judgment, it pointed out that were no mechanisms governing the functioning
of the BNR collective bodies and journalists’ rights and obligations and that
there was “confusion between the administrative and professional bodies,
which made it possible to have administrative interference in the content of
radio shows”.
While in making a distinction with the above-mentioned Manole and
Others case, the majority sees “... nothing in the facts of the present case to
suggest that the decisions of the BNR’s management in relation to the
applicant’s show were taken under pressure from outside”, we think that
there is ground for concern, also expressed by the NRTC as indicated above,
that the functioning of the BNR and especially the manner in which
decisions relevant to editorial choices of journalists hosting programmes
were dealt with, did not offer the necessary safeguards. As the Court stated
in Manole and Others:
“... it was, as set out in the above-mentioned Guidelines developed by the
Committee of Ministers, essential to put in place a legal framework which ensured
TRM’s independence from political interference and control.”
It is against this background of lack of a precise framework for the
functioning of the BNR and for its independence, which obviously reflected
on the rights and duties of the journalists in their relationship with the public
television employer, that the dismissal of the applicant must be viewed.
Secondly, although the majority is ready to accept that in the applicant’s
case Article 10 of the Convention is applicable (see paragraph 53 of the
judgment), it does not attribute to this the importance that we think is
necessary in the context of disputes surrounding the activity and the
performance of journalists. Notwithstanding the fact that these are regulated
by labour legislation, they do require particular attention so as not to render
nugatory or to substantially diminish the freedom of expression protected by
Article 10 of the Convention. Disputes surrounding journalistic activities
should not be viewed only or mainly in terms of labour legislation which,
26 NENKOVA-LALOVA v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT – SEPARATE OPINION

although significant, does not constitute the whole picture. It is equally

significant to have regard to the particular feature at play in the professional
activity of the journalist, bearing in mind his or her role in conveying ideas
and opinions. That is why we consider important that in cases of dismissal
or other measures taken by employers against journalists, particular
attention should be given to rights protected by Article 10 of the
Convention.
In the case before us the domestic authorities have had no regard at all to
this aspect. The Bulgarian courts considered the issue as only a labour
dispute and did not take into account the problems in the functioning of the
BNR and the rights and duties of the journalists employed by it. There was
an absolute lack of an Article 10 analysis at domestic level. This is crucial
to our way of thinking. In the absence of such analysis the majority prefers
to undertake this task itself. We remain firmly of the opinion that it is not
for this Court to embark upon such analysis when this has not taken place at
domestic level and its elements were not examined and balanced by the
authorities when deciding the case.
Thirdly, in the absence of an Article 10 analysis at domestic level, it is
not in the circumstances possible to uphold the proportionality of the
measure. Indeed, in our opinion the measure of dismissal has been quite
extreme. It does not seem that other measures or sanctions were considered
by the BNR Director or the BNR Management Board. The majority has
relied on the case of Palomo Sánchez and Others v. Spain ([GC],
nos. 28955/06, 28957/06, 28959/06 and 28964/06, ECHR 2011-...) for
finding the measure proportionate (see paragraph 60 of the judgment). The
relevance of that case, whose circumstances were clearly different from
those in the present case, seems to us very limited. In the present case we
are talking firstly about journalistic activity and, secondly, about activity
which did not entail conduct that was offensive in any way. The act
attributed to the applicant taken within the context of rather unclear division
of responsibilities as concerns editorial choices within a given programme
does not appear to have been so grave or so far-reaching in its effects as to
irrevocably have breached the mutual trust between employer and
employee.
We would therefore conclude that in this case there has been a violation
of the applicant’s rights under Article 10 of the Convention.