The European Court for Human Rights ruled today its first pilot decision against Romania in the case involving Maria Atanasiu and others against Romania which practically suspends similar causes in the Court and compells the Romanian state, to take measures to resolve the issue of returning nationalized properties during Communism in 18 months. The decision is extremely important as it compels the state to respect fundamental rights and set up a functional system of returning stollen properties or offering due compensation. The Court recommended Romania to resolve this issue before but the pilot decision Romania is compelled to take measures. If it does not comply, it risks even the exclusion from the Council of Europe.

The Court accepts that article 6, line 1 of the Convention and article 1 of the no. 1 Protocol were breached in the case involving Maria Atanasiu and Ileana Iuliana Poenaru and compels the Romanian state to take all measures to gurantee the rights of the citizens to have their properties confiscated during Communism returned.