4.  The applicant was born in 1946 and lives in Odessa. 5.  In September 1994 the applicant instituted civil proceedings in the Central District Court of Odessa (the “District Court”; Центральний районний суд м. Одеса)[1] against the Publishing House “Chornomorya” (the “Company”; Видавництво “Чорномор'я”), seeking his reinstatement as a typographer and various compensations in connection with his allegedly unlawful dismissal. Subsequently, the Company and Mr L., its lawyer, brought libel proceedings against the applicant, claiming to have been defamed by certain of his submissions before the court. The applicant lodged a counterclaim for libel, alleging that certain submissions were defamatory. All of these complaints were joined. 6.  On 26 April 1996 the District Court reinstated the applicant in his position, partly allowed his compensation and other claims, and dismissed all claims for libel brought by both parties. 7.  On 1 October 1996 the Odessa Regional Court (the “Regional Court”; Одеський обласний суд)[2] quashed the judgment of 26 April 1996 in respect of the libel claims and remitted them for a fresh consideration to the District Court. As regards the applicant's reinstatement and compensation awards, the judgment was upheld and became final. 8.  On 26 June 1997 the District Court partly allowed the Company's and Mr L.'s libel claims and dismissed the applicant's counterclaim. The applicant appealed in cassation. 9.  On 25 November 1997 the Regional Court upheld, in its final decision, the judgment of 26 June 1997 to the extent that the applicant's claims had been dismissed. The court further quashed the judgment concerning the claims of the applicant's opponents and dismissed them. 10.  On various dates the applicant, seeking to obtain higher compensation for his wrongful dismissal, petitioned the State authorities to re-open the proceedings. 11.  On 21 April 1999, following a protest lodged by the Deputy President of the Supreme Court on the applicant's behalf, the Regional Court quashed the judgment of 26 April 1996 concerning the compensation claims and remitted the case for a fresh consideration in that respect. 12.  On 21 November 2000 the District Court found no reason to change the amount of compensation payable to the applicant. The applicant appealed. On 6 March 2001 the Regional Court quashed this judgment on appeal and remitted the case for a fresh consideration to the District Court. 13.  Between March 2001 and May 2004 the applicant amended his compensation claims on three occasions by indexing their amount. In the same period the District Court scheduled 21 hearings, the adjournment of three of them being attributable to the applicant. Other reasons for adjournments included the judge's sickness, the defendant's requests and the ordering of an accountant's opinion. No hearings were scheduled between September 2001 and June 2002, as the applicant had lodged a cassation appeal against the judgment of 1 October 1996 under the newly instituted cassation procedure. This appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court on 17 May 2002. 14.  On 14 May 2004 the District Court partly allowed the applicant's claims and awarded him UAH 2,406.10[3] in additional compensation. Both parties appealed. On 4 November 2004 the Odessa Regional Court of Appeal upheld this judgment. 15.  On 3 December 2004 the applicant lodged a cassation appeal against the above judgments. On 22 March 2006 the Supreme Court rejected, by a final decision, the applicant's request for leave to appeal in cassation.