On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

On 15 February 2024, the Albanian Parliament adopted law no. 18/2024 “On some amendments and addendums on law no. 155/2015 ‘On gambling in the Republic of Albania’, as amended” (the “Gambling Law”). The amendment overturned a five-year ban on sports betting activities in Albania and entered into force on 27 March 2024.

In Albania, renewable energy, start-ups, and gaming all present significant market opportunities according to Partner Anisa Rrumbullaku of CR Partners in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners, with significant changes being implemented that stand to not only revitalize the economy but also create a hotbed for legal expertise.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Dorda, working with Wilson Sonsini, has advised fintech company IXOPAY and shareholders Rene and Nathalie Siegl on the merger with US cloud tokenization provider TokenEx. Wolf Theiss, working with US-based Morris Manning & Martin, advised TokenEx.

Baker McKenzie has advised the Lindsay Corporation on its acquisition of a 49.9% stake in Austria-based Pessl Instruments, with an option to acquire the rest at a later date. HBA reportedly advised Gottfried Pess on the sale.

Belarus's Revera law firm has teamed up with Adamante Management to open the firm's Cyprus office.

On July 9, 2021, substantial amendments to Belarusian currency legislation entered into force. We will briefly review the key amendments.

Economic optimism in the face of adversity, the introduction of English law instruments, and some new potential for growth are the highlights in Belarus, according to Aleinikov & Partners Senior Partner Denis Aleinikov.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

The latest amendments to the Republika Srpska Civil Procedure Law were enacted to ensure procedural improvements, align the rules with the European Convention on the Exercise of Children’s Rights, better regulate cases involving marital and family disputes, and strengthen court rulings.

Did you know that the CEE Q1 leaderboards are available through the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website?

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Following the development of the EU legislation and reflecting market needs and increasing interest in trading with guarantees of origin, the Bulgaria’s Ministry of Energy adopted new Ordinance No. Е-РД-04-2 of 2 April 2024 on guarantees of origin of energy from renewable sources. The new Ordinance was promulgated in State Gazette No. 32 on 9 April 2024.

Djingov Gouginski Kyutchukov & Velichkov has advised Bulgarian Stock Exchange-listed Bianor Holding on a capital increase through a share issuance that attracted 199 investors, including several institutional investors.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

CMS has advised Greece's Public Power Corporation on a cooperation framework agreement for the development and construction of almost 90 solar projects of up to 2,000 megawatts in Romania, Italy, Bulgaria, and Croatia. The deal is valued at up to EUR 2 billion and is expected to be implemented over the next three years.

BDV Batarelo Dvojkovic Vuchetich has advised Kommunalkredit Austria on a EUR 25 million facility for the Star Energy Group's transition strategy into geothermal energy and for enabling continued investment in the group’s oil and gas business.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Clifford Chance, working with Jalsovszky, has advised a club of banks led by Ceska Sporitelna on the financing for CVC Capital Partners and Emma Capital's acquisition of Packeta (reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 9, 2024). Wolf Theiss advised Packeta.

BBH has successfully represented the Diamo state-owned enterprise in a dispute concerning its obligation to perform a contract worth over CZK 1 billion.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Former Counsels Maria Nefeli Bernitsa and Fotodotis Malamas have been appointed to Partner positions with Greek law firm Bernitsas.

Former Senior Associate Tania Patsalia has been promoted to a Partner position with Bernitsas.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

As technology advances, it becomes easier and easier to record any conversation. Today, anyone with a smartphone can easily record business meetings - even in secret. There are many reasons for making a secret recording: for some it may be a security measure to avoid disputes, for others it may be an ulterior motive to use it later. But is it legally permissible to make an audio recording in secret? And what are the consequences of using a secretly made audio recording in a civil or criminal case?

Based on a Hungarian case, on 14 March 2024 the Court of Justice ruled that the supervisory authority of a Member State, to ensure that the GDPR is fully enforced, may order the erasure of unlawfully processed data even if prior request by the data subject has not been submitted. Such erasure may cover data collected from the affected person and data originating from another source.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Magnusson has successfully represented Albrecht & Dill Trading in having its claim accepted as part of the bankruptcy proceedings against Erst Finance, Albergrupp Teenused, and Omul-Fot, in bankruptcy.

Estonian law firm Lextal, Latvian law firm RER Lextal, and Lithuanian law firm ILAW Lextal have unveiled their new name and identity: Widen, "a Baltic law firm that sees itself as the Legal Jazz Company."

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Contributed by Boga & Associates.

Did you know that the CEE Q1 leaderboards are available through the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website?

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Estonian law firm Lextal, Latvian law firm RER Lextal, and Lithuanian law firm ILAW Lextal have unveiled their new name and identity: Widen, "a Baltic law firm that sees itself as the Legal Jazz Company."

TGS Baltic has advised recycling company Eco Baltia on its acquisition – via its Latvijas Zalais Punkts subsidiary – of harmful and hazardous waste collection company Eko Osta.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

TGS Baltic has advised Coinvest Capital on liquidating its investment in Lithuanian crisp producer Chazz through the sale of its 26% stake to the company's founders and other shareholders.

Estonian law firm Lextal, Latvian law firm RER Lextal, and Lithuanian law firm ILAW Lextal have unveiled their new name and identity: Widen, "a Baltic law firm that sees itself as the Legal Jazz Company."

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

North Macedonia faces a temporary slowdown in economic activity as it gears up for presidential and parliamentary elections set for late April and early May, according to Law Office Serdjuk Managing Partner Petar Serdjuk, while the post-election period holds promise of revitalizing key sectors such as construction and infrastructure through long-awaited public procurement projects.

Contributed by Debarliev, Dameski & Kelesoska.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

ACI Partners' Competition practice is busier than ever in Moldova, according to Legal Manager Carolina Parcalab, who points to transactions, Competition Council investigations, and competition law educational initiatives as their primary work sources.

Contributed by Aci Partners.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Contributed by Jovovic, Mugosa & Vukovic.

Slovenia and Croatia adopted the Minimum Tax Act (MTA). The MTA implements Directive (EU) 2022/2523 to ensure a global minimum level of taxation for multinational enterprise groups and large-scale domestic groups in the EU. The latter is a consequence of the OECD’s global fight against tax base erosion within the scope of Pillar II.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

SSW Pragmatic Solutions has advised Grupa Energa on its acquisition of a photovoltaic portfolio from Lightsource BP. Norton Rose Fulbright advised Lightsource BP.

Former Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak Senior Counsel Szymon Czerwinski has joined Schoenherr in Poland as a Partner to lead the firm's Tax team.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

For several years, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) standards have increased globally, the EU being a pioneer in the field through the adoption of a significant number of directives and regulations subsequently implemented at Member States’ national level in relation to these three most dynamic letters in today’s business world.

Schoenherr has successfully represented Societatea Energetica Electrica in a long-term contentious administrative case with a stake worth EUR 46 million against Romania's state and public resource management auditor.

The truth is rarely pure and never simple. But in the case of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, it just might be. Russia breached Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Russia's acts have prompted the EU, the UK and the US to impose economic sanctions, such as freezing assets and disconnecting Russian banks from the SWIFT international payments network. Whilst the number of private businesses that are halting their activities in Russia is steadily growing, Russia has adopted a law paving the way for expropriations of assets of foreign firms that leave the country following economic sanctions. But what can foreign companies do if Russia proceeds to take their assets, if they are unable to freely transfer returns from investments out of Russia or if their profits collapse?

Baker McKenzie and DLA Piper have joined the plethora of firms announcing their exit from the Russian market.

Debevoise & Plimpton, Dentons, Dechert, and CMS have announced they are closing their Russian offices and exiting the market.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Belgrade's MPartners Legal, working with Perth's Steinepreis Paganin and Bird & Bird in London, has advised Ibaera Capital Fund subsidiary ISIHC on the sale of the Rogozna Gold Project in Serbia to Strickland Metals Limited for a consideration of AUD 34.2 million in shares.

The reasoning behind the draft laws not included in the laws those provisions from the EU regulations that can be applied only by the member states of the European Union, as well as those that prescribe obligations only for the member states, is questionable.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

The question is not "if" you will face a cyberattack, but "when". Ensure your cyberspace is resilient to security risks early. New cybersecurity regulation will impact many Slovak companies this year and next.

1 March 2024 marks the date when the Transformations Act No. 309/2023 came into force in Slovakia. This regulation comprehensively outlines the procedures for national and cross-border mergers, divisions, and conversions of companies and cooperatives, moving away from the previously scattered provisions in the Commercial Code.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Kinstellar has advised the Hungarian Power Exchange and the Hungarian transmission system operator on the Project Bluesky transaction which saw HUPX join the regional Adex power exchange. Lukman Odvetniska Druzba reportedly advised Adex's Slovenian shareholder, ELES. Isailovic & Partners reportedly advised EMS, the Serbian shareholder of Adex.

Contributed by Kavcic, Bracun & Partners.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Former Senior Legal Counsel Can Aksoy has been appointed as Delivery Hero's Principal Legal Counsel M&A.

Former Turkiye Finans Katilim Bankasi Head of Legal Advisory Mehmet Tekergul has moved to the Alternatif Bank as Head of Legal.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.

Former CMS Partner Anna Pogrebna has joined Integrites as a Partner to focus on real estate, construction, and infrastructure, while Mykola Nychyporuk has joined the firm as a Counsel and the Head of its White-Collar Crime practice.

Avellum has advised Ukraine's Ministry of Finance on a CAD 2 billion ten-year concessional loan from Canada. Sayenko Kharenko advised the Government of Canada.