Key legal question
Whether the request for a public hearing was timely and had to be granted under Article 6 ECHR in a social insurance dispute.
Extracted holding
The request was timely and clear; no valid waiver or special circumstances justified refusing a public hearing.
Extracted reasoning
A public hearing may be demanded in civil disputes, including social insurance benefits cases, if clearly and unambiguously requested and if the party has not waived it. The request here was made during the ordinary exchange of briefs, before any procedural step that could be undermined, and caused no delay.