5.  The applicant was born in 1947 and lives in Zreče. 6.  On 19 March 1993 the applicant was allegedly beaten by local police officers at a bus station and later also at the police station. 7.  At an undetermined time, he instituted civil proceedings in the Slovenjske Konjice Local Court (Okrajno sodišče v Slovenjskih Konjicah) against the Ministry of Interior (“the Ministry”), seeking damages for sustained injuries. 8.  The judgment of the Supreme Court (Vrhovno sodišče) of 27 May 1998 dismissing the applicant's appeal on points of law was most likely served on the applicant at least by July 1998. 9.  On 19 May 1990 the applicant was allegedly beaten by four policemen. 10.  On 3 March 1992 the applicant instituted civil proceedings against the Ministry in the Maribor Basic Court, Maribor Unit (Temeljno sodišče v Mariboru, Enota Maribor) seeking damages in the amount of 1,000,000 Slovenian tolars (approximately 4,170 euros) for the injuries sustained.
On 21 May 1992 the court found the case out of its jurisdiction and transferred it to the Ljubljana Basic Court, Ljubljana Unit (Temeljno sodišče v Ljubljana, Enota Ljubljana). The applicant's appeal against this decision was rejected on 2 March 1993 for being too late.
On 28 June 1994 the Convention took effect with respect to Slovenia.
On 1 January 1995 the Ljubljana Local Court (Okrajno sodišče v Ljubljani) gained jurisdiction in the present case following the reform of the Slovenian judicial system.
On 12 October 2000 the court requested the Supreme Court to transfer the case to the Slovenjske Konjice Local Court. On 28 January 2001 the Supreme Court upheld the request and the case was transferred to the Slovenjske Konjice Local Court.
On 8 October 2002 and 16 December 2003 the court held hearings. The applicant did not attend the latter hearing and send a written excuse only after the hearing had been held. At his request the court scheduled a new hearing for 29 January 2004. This hearing was adjourned at the request of the applicant until 17 February 2004. At this hearing the court decided to deliver a written judgment.
The judgment dismissing the applicant's claim was served on the applicant on 27 February 2004. 11.  On 14 March 2004 the applicant appealed to the Celje Higher Court (Višje sodišče v Celju). Two days later, his legal representative lodged a separate appeal.
On 28 October 2004 the court allowed one of the appeals, set aside the first-instance court's judgment and remitted the case for re-examination. 12.  On 8 March 2005 the Slovenjske Konjice Local Court held a hearing and again dismissed the applicant's claim.
On 5 April 2005 the applicant appealed to the Celje Higher Court.
The proceedings are still pending. 13.  On 30 December 1996 the Slovenjske Konjice Police (Policijska postaja Slovenjske Konjice) instituted proceedings against the applicant in the Slovenjske Konjice Court of Minor Offences (Sodnik za prekrške v Slovenjskih Konjicah) for driving a vehicle while drunk and using a driving licence that had expired. On 15 January 1997 another set of proceeding was instituted against the applicant for driving a vehicle while drunk.
On 18 and 22 September 1997, by two separate decisions, the Slovenjske Konjice Court of Minor Offences convicted the applicant and imposed on him a fine, a three-month's ban on driving and payment of court fees. The decisions were served on the applicant on 29 September 1997.
On 7 October 1997 the applicant allegedly appealed against both decisions by a letter sent from Germany.
On 10 June and 24 August 1998 respectively, the decisions were enforced and the fines and fees imposed were recovered from the applicant. On 6 October 1998 the court informed the Slovenjske Konjice Administrative Unit of the applicant's ban on driving.
On 24 December 1998 the applicant informed the court that he had appealed against its decisions and that he had not yet received the decision in this respect from the appellate court.
On 9 October 2000 the applicant lodged a claim for restitution of fines collected from him following the decisions of 18 and 22 September 1997. He submitted to the court a certificate form the post office in Germany that he did mail a letter to the court in 1997 allegedly appealing against the two decisions.
His claim was considered as a request for the annulment of the finality clause (klavzula o pravnomočnosti) of the decisions of 18 and 22 September 1997.
On 5 February 2001 the Slovenjske Konjice Court of Minor Offences rejected the request.
On 16 February 2001 the applicant appealed. 14.  On 28 November 2002 the Senate for Minor Offences (Senat za prekrške) allowed the appeals and remitted the case to the first-instance court for re-examination. The decisions were served on the applicant on 19 April 2003. 15.  On 5 September 2003 the Slovenjske Konjice Court of Minor Offences upheld the applicant's requests for the annulment of the finality clause.
On 18 September 2003 the applicant reiterated his claim for reimbursement of the fines and fees recovered from him together with interests.
On 23 September 2003 the court set aside the decisions of 22 September 1997 and issued decisions on the termination of the proceedings because the statute of limitations had passed. The decisions were served on the applicant on 30 September 2003.
On 13 October 2003 the court issued decisions for reimbursement of the fees and fines recovered from the applicant. The court fees and one part of fines recovered were paid to the applicant on 21 October 2003 and the other part of the fines on 17 November 2003. 16.  On 22 October 2003 the applicant appealed against the decisions of 13 October 2003. They were set aside on 9 January 2004 by the Senate for Minor Offences and remitted for re-examination. The decisions were served on the applicant on 29 March 2004. 17.  On 5 April 2004 the court transferred the case to the State Attorney's Office (Državno pravobranilstvo) which, ultimately, on 26 June 2004 returned the case to the court and declared that, in accordance with the Minor Offences Act (Zakon o prekrških), only applicant himself could claim interests directly from the State Attorney's Office. The applicant was informed of this but has not yet lodged any such claim. 18.  The applicant had a farm in Lemberg. 19.  On 4 September 1999 an unknown dog apparently slaughtered four of the applicant's goats. The applicant indicated to the Šmarje pri Jelšah Police (Policijska postaja Šmarje pri Jelšah) that the dog might be his neighbour's. 20.  On 7 February 2000 the applicant made a criminal complaint with the District Prosecutor's Office in Celje (Okrožno državno tožilstvo v Celju) against the chief of the Šmarje pri Jelšah Police for negligent work, because the police did not find the owner of the dog. 21.  On 20 February 2000 Celje District Prosecutor's Office rejected the criminal complaint.