clr/1988/1988_3_1667.pdf

(1988)A.S.Angelides, for theapplicant. Chr. Ioannides, for therespondents. Cur. adv. vult. SAVVIDES J.real thefollowingjudgment. Applicant by the present recourse prays for thefollowingrelief: 5 1.A declaration thattheactand/ordecision of therespondents todeductfrom thebasicemolumentsand/ortheapplicant'ssalary thesumof £245.-orany othersummonthlyis nullandvoid,ille­ gal and/ornotlegally effected. 2.Adeclaration of theCourtthatthedecision communicatedin 10 writing on 19th February, 1987, by respondent 1,by which he insisted onthedecision for thedeductions from thesalaryof the applicantis null andvoidandof nolegal effect. 3.A declaration of theCourtdeclaring thecontinuous refusal and/oromission of therespondents todiscontinue theunjust and unlawful deductionfrom thesalaryof theapplicant asillegaland amountingtounequaltreatment 15 Thelegal grounds onwhich therecourse is based arethat the sub judice decision was reached under a misconception of fact and inexcess and/orabuse of power; thatit was taken under a 20 procedure which is contrary toprevious acts and/ordecisions of therespondents; adueinquiry hasnotbeencarriedout;itviolates thelaw andtheConstitution;anditlacksdue reasoning. Thefacts of thecase arebriefly as follows: Theapplicantis anarmydoctorandheistheholderof therank 25 of LieutenantintheMedical Corps (ΥπΙατρος). Since 10thJanu­ ary, 1981 he was serving at theHospital of theNational Guard. The applicant was granted a scholarship inSeptember, 1986 for threeyearspost graduate studies attheMedical Training School 1668 3 C.L'.R. Kyprianou v.Republic SavvidesJ. (Σχολή Εφαρμογής Υγειονομικού) inGreecefor thepurpose ofobtainingspecialization in Psychiatry-Neurology. Itistheallegationoftheapplicantthatthesaidscholarship was grantedtohiminapurely military procedureby theissueofrele5 vantorders andalsoby theissueof mobilization orders placing theapplicanttotheMedicalTrainingschoolwhichentailedcom­ pliance with military regulations andtheundertaking of obliga­ tionsarisingtherefromwhereas accordingtothefacts allegedby therespondentsthespecialization of theapplicantis notincluded 10 inthebasicormandatorytrainingwhichiscontemplatedfordoc­ torsof thearmyof theRepublicbutitisoutsidesuchprocedures. TheMinistryofDefenceconsideredtheapplicationof theappli­ cant for specialization abroad as a case of an application for a scholarship andin fact'it was granted tohim as such underthe 15 terms of an agreement for scholarship signed by theapplicant which was subject totheordinary terms of scholarships which werewellknowntothe applicantandwerebroughttohisknow­ ledge when the scholarship was granted tohim. One of these termswas'thatduringtheperiodofhisspecialization hewouldbe 20 paidanallowance inaccordance with theregulations for thegrant of financial assistance toscholars andalsothesumof £165.- as scholarshipallowance from the Republicof Cyprus whichgrant­ edthescholarship:Thetermsof thescholarship wereknownto himfromthepersonal contactshehadwith theMinistry of De25 fence, theMinistry of Finance,theAccountant-GeneraT» office »' and the Committeefor Scholarships towhom he madeseveral oralrepresentationsinaneffort tosecurepaymentof full salary plus overseas allowance which is granted in ordinary cases of trainingof membersof thearmy. 30 35 - Itis further allegedby counsel for therespondent'sthat when the decision for his scholarship was taken on 9th September, 1986,theapplicantwhowas attheMinistry of Defencewaiting for theresultofhisapplicationwasinformedorally thattheschol­ arship was granted tohimandheacceptedit andinfact onthe following day he attended the Ministry with his motherand signedthe agreementfor thegranttohimof thescholarshipwith 1669 Savvides J. Kyprianou v. Republic

(1988)hismotherasaguarantor. Following theprovisions of the regulations for scholarships theapplicantwaspaidforthefirstthreemonths,10thSeptember, 1986- 10thDecember, 1986,hisfull salaryandalsothescholarship allowance of £165 and as from 11th December, 1986,he 5 wasbeingpaidreducedemolumentsinaccordancewiththeprovisionsoftheregulationsfor scholarshipsgrantedbytheRepublic. Itwasthecontention ofcounselforapplicant thattheplacing oftheapplicanttotheMedicalTrainingSchoolentailsobservance ofmilitaryregulationsandtheundertakingofobligationsarising 10 therefrom. The regulations concerning ordinary scholarships grantedbythegovernment havenoapplication toofficers ofthe army astheofficers are trainedin Greecebyvirtueof apurely militaryprocedureandtheycontinuetoperform theirmilitaryduties,theyaresubjecttomilitaryregulationsandhavetoobservea 15. generaleducationalprogrammeinthesame mannerasallother servicemen.WhendoctorsofthemilitaryforcearesenttoGreece theyarenormallypaidtheirfullemolumentsplusthescholarship allowance.TheapplicantwasnotsenttoGreeceforpost-graduate trainingasanordinarycitizeninahospitaloranyotherinstitution 20 where specialization is granted buthewassent toGreeceasan officer, member of the Cyprus armyand continued to serveas such whilst undergoing histraining.Theprocedurefollowed in thecaseoftheapplicant,counselsubmitted,iscontrarytotheestablishedpracticeandthemilitaryprocedureanditamountstoa 25 discriminatory treatmentoftheapplicantviolatingArticle28of theConstitution. Counselfor therespondents,ontheotherhand,submittedthat thedecision of therespondents wastakenproperlyandinaccordance with theterms subject to whichscholarships aregranted 30 and that thescholarship which wasgranted totheapplicantwas notascholarshipgrantedunderanyarmyregulationsbutitwasa scholarshipgrantedunderanagreementwhichwassubjecttothe rulesandregulationswhichgovernscholarships. 1670 3C.L.R. Kyprianou v.-Republic SawidesJ. Fromthematerialbeforemeitappearsthatwhatwasgranted totheapplicantwasanordinaryscholarshipforthreeyearsinaccordancewiththetermsofscholarshipswhicharegrantedbythe governmentoftheRepublic.Anagreementwassignedinthatre5 spectembodyingthetermsofthescholarshipwithcertainobligationsundertakenbytheapplicantcompliancetowhichwasguaranteed by his mother. Government scholarships are granted subject totheregulationsconcerningthegrantoffinancial assistancetoscholars.Inaccordancewithsuchregulationstheemolu10 mentsofthescholarwhohappenstobeacivilservantfortheperiod of thefirst threemonthswouldbehisfull emolumentsand after theexpirationof three-monthshisemolumentsarereduced inaccordancewiththescalessetoutinsuchregulations. Onthematerial before meIcannot accept thecontentionof 15 counsel for applicant that the scholarship in question wasgovernedbyanyotherregulationsexceptthoseembodiedinthecontractsignedbytheapplicantwhichweresubjecttotheregulations forordinarygovernmentscholarships.Thefactthatmobilization orderswereissuedtohimandhewasboundtowearmilitaryuni20 form orobeymilitaryordersduringhisscholarship or attend a militarytrainingschoolfor specializationinmedicinewaspartof hismilitaryobligationsanddoesnotinanywayalteror modify the regulations concerning scholarships subject to which this scholarshipwasgrantedtohim. 25 30 35 Thecomplaint of theapplicant astodiscrimination vis avis otherofficers whoarenormallysenttoGreecefortrainingisnot asoundoneasthecaseofofficers orothermembersofthearmy whoaresenttoGreecefortrainingisaprocedureofthenormal trainingofservicemenwhichentailsobligationsforspecialization orfurther trainingabroadandiscarriedoutundermilitaryprocedures.Theapplicantinthepresentcasewasgrantedascholarship forspecializationinmedicineunderaprocedurefollowed forthe grantofscholarshipsandnotundermilitaryprocedureswhichare underthecontrolandmanagementofmilitaryauthorities.Therefore,hecannotcomplainofdiscriminationvisavisnormalser: vicemenwhoaresentfor shorttermsfortrainingabroadandto 1671- Savvides J. Kyprianou v. Republic

(1988)whom their full emoluments plus the overseas allowance are paid. InthecircumstancesofthecaseandonthebasisofallthematerialbeforemeIhavecometotheconclusionthatoncehisscholarshipwassubject totheregulationsgoverningordinaryscholar- 5 shipsgrantedbythegovernmentoftheRepublicanydeductions from hisemolumentswhichwereinaccordancewithregulations governing scholarships wereproperly madeby thegovernment and, therefore, thisrecoursefails andisherebydismissed butin thecircumstancesImakenoorderforcosts. ^ Recoursedismissed. Noorderastocosts. 1672