Bojovic Draskovic Popovic & Partners and the other members of the South East Legal Alliance have become official partners of Italy's Grimaldi Alliance.

Tonucci & Partners advised Union Bank on the acquisition of the International Commercial Bank in Albania, and Wolf Theiss provided legal advice to Union Bank during the regulatory approval phase.

Kalo & Associates has advised the YURA Corporation, a South Korean auto-supplier, on launching the first stage of the operation of its plant on a 4.9 hectare site near Fier, in southwest Albania.

CHSH, working with the Hemmelrath Partnerschaftsgesellschaft, has advised Immundiagnostik AG, a German laboratory diagnostics company headquartered in Bens-heim, on its acquisition of Austrian start-up Kiweno. Kiweno was advised by 42Law.

Wolf Theiss has advised Duravant on its May 8, 2019 acquisition of Austria's Motion06 GmbH.

The EU Shareholder Rights Directive II (2017/828) (SRD II), amending Directive 2007/36/EC as regards the encouragement of long-term shareholder engagement, must be transposed into national law by 10 June 2019.

“Belarusian markets are abuzz with two things right now,” explains Arzinger & Partner’s Klim Stashevsky.“The new strategy for attracting FDI and the M10 highway reconstruction project.”

Dispute Resolution specialist Partner Andrei Vashkevich has left Stepanovski, Papkul & Partners to join the Lex Torre firm in Belarus, with Counsel Alexadner Lobaty taking over the firm's Litigation practice and Senior Attorney Dmitry Kovalchik taking over the Construction & Real Estate practice.

Sorainen has advised Sika on its acquisition of BelINECO, a company specializing in the production of polyurethane foams.

Bojovic Draskovic Popovic & Partners and the other members of the South East Legal Alliance have become official partners of Italy's Grimaldi Alliance.

“Things are pretty quiet, and there aren’t any big developments,” begins Sead Miljkovic of Miljkovic & Partners, when asked for the Buzz in Bosnia & Herzegovina. He reports that “infrastructural projects and consolidations in the bank sector” are active at the moment, as well as “financing of public projects,” but he adds that “none of it is large-scale."

Law firm members of the SEE Legal Group, acting on behalf of Netlog Logistics, have completed a due diligence analysis of the Intereuropa group of companies, upon the announcement of a banking consortium that it is selling 72% share capital in Intereuropa d.d.

Tsvetkova Bebov Komarevski has advised Deutsche Bahn Bulgarian subsidiary DB Cargo Bulgaria EOOD, a licensed Bulgarian railway cargo operator, on the acquisition of assets of the insolvent railway rolling stock repair company VRZ Karlovo.

Kambourov & Partners Petroceltic International PLC on the sale of Petroceltic Bulgaria EOOD, the company's Bulgarian subsidiary, to an unidentified third party.

CMS Sofia has successfully convinced Bulgaria's Supreme Administrative Court to repeal a regulatory decision by the Bulgarian Energy and Water Regulatory Commission in favor of biomass producer Eco Energy Management Ltd.

Bojovic Draskovic Popovic & Partners and the other members of the South East Legal Alliance have become official partners of Italy's Grimaldi Alliance.

Divjak, Topic Bahtijarevic Partner Mario Krka says that “there are currently three major legislative changes that everybody in Croatia is talking about: changes to the Corporate Law Act, certain tax bylaws amendments, and upcoming changes to the Civil Procedure Act.”

Schoenherr has advised Tele2 AB on the EUR 220 million sale of its Croatian business, Tele2 Croatia, to the United Group. Kirkland & Ellis and Divjak, Topic & Bahtijarevic represented the BC Partners-backed United Group.

In February 2019 the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic submitted a bill that aims to provide whistleblowers credible tools to report illegal conduct in the workplace and protect them against potential reprisals. The bill also introduces new duties for many employers.

“The main thing right now is the upcoming amendment to Act on Corporations,“ starts Kinstellar Partner Tomas Cihula, describing the situation in the Czech Republic. “The Parliament is considering proposals which seek to clarify some parts of the current legislative framework and that aim to ease the regulatory burden companies are facing.“ Cihula said that this overhaul was met with “approval from the business sector.“

Glatzova & Co has advised the Pale Fire Capital investment group on its acquisition of 55 percent of shares in the Czech Aukro.cz business portal from Agora Development, Equity Partners, and Ladislav Chodak for an undisclosed price. The sellers were reportedly advised by Kubica Zajic & Partners. The remaining 45 percent of Aukro.cz is owned by Leverage Technology, reportedly advised by solo-practitioner Ondrej Kolar.

White & Case has advised Intrum AB on the EUR 328 million acquisition and hive-down of the Recovery Banking Unit of Piraeus Bank. Karatzas & Partners and Milbank advised Piraeus Bank.

Reed Smith has advised the EBRD on a EUR 55 million loan to Invel Real Estate to support its purchase of a 32.7% stake in Pangea from the National Bank of Greece. Papapolitis & Papapolitis advised Invel.

The latest buzzwords in the automotive and manufacturing industry, “autonomous driving” and “connected mobility,” serve as foretokens of a new “mobility services” era. The industry is affected by current ecological, environmental, and digital standards, and the mobility habits, trends, and demand are gradually disbanding from conventional practices. New indicators are affecting business models in this important industry, including those of parts-suppliers and distributors, by calling for new regulations and consumer expectations.

Noerr, together with the Austria's Arnold law firm, has advised SignaRetail on the sale of Kika’s Eastern European business to XXXLutz. XXXLutz was represented by CHSH on the purchase and by Wolf Theiss on the merger clearance process.

Kinstellar, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Stibbe, and Binder Groesswang have advised CANAL+ Group, a subsidiary of the Vivendi group, on the acquisition of the M7 Group from Astorg, a European private equity firm. Paul Hastings and Loyens & Loeff advised Astorg and the other selling shareholders of the M7 Group.

According to a recent amendment to the Hungarian Act on Sport in March 2019, an international sport association – recognized by the International Olympic Committee – will be classified and regulated as a subtype of sport associations in Hungary.

Cobalt has advised Karma Ventures as a lead arranger on its USD 3.65 million investment in Infermedica, a provider of artificial intelligence technology solutions for healthcare companies.

Nove has successfully represented Europark Estonia before the Estonian Supreme Court in a dispute involving whether the parking manager's leaving a contractual penalty notice under a client's windshield wiper constitutes a reasonable way of delivery. The Court found that it was.

Fort has advised LHV Pank on the acquisition of a Danske Bank unit consisting of a loan portfolio of Estonian private clients worth approximately EUR 470 million.

Law firm members of the SEE Legal Group, acting on behalf of Netlog Logistics, have completed a due diligence analysis of the Intereuropa group of companies, upon the announcement of a banking consortium that it is selling 72% share capital in Intereuropa d.d.

In summer 2017, after Sejdiu & Qerkini Partner Korab Sejdiu was elected to the Kosovo Parliament, he suspended his law license and left private practice. We checked in with Sejdiu to learn more about his new role and experience.

Denise Hamer has joined Kinstellar as Special Counsel, in a regional CEE/SEE position working in the firm's Finance, Private Equity, NPLs & Distressed Assets, and Restructuring practices.

TGS Baltic has successfully represented the insolvent SIA Viesis 2 on its claim of EUR 1,786,655.54 in damages from its former management board members in order to enable the company to pay creditor claims and the costs of administration of the insolvency proceedings.

Primus Derling has advised Besix ReRe Group, consisting of N.V. Besix S.A. from Belgium and SIA Rere Buve from Latvia, on its agreement with Eiropas Dzelzceļa llnijas to develop the complex building design and construct the Rail Baltica Riga railway bridge, earth bank, and Riga Central Passenger Station.

Cobalt has successfully represented the Central Election Commission of Latvia before the Latvian Administrative District Court in a case regarding the cancellation of 2019 EP election results.

Cobalt has helped UAB Wittix obtain an electronic money institution license for unrestricted activity.

Sorainen has successfully represented Unis Steel Baltija before the Lithuanian Supreme Court.

TGS Baltic has advised the Smart Energy Fund, powered by Lietuvos Energija, on its investment in Moixa, a UK-based company developing smart energy storage devices and virtual power plant technologies.

Bojovic Draskovic Popovic & Partners and the other members of the South East Legal Alliance have become official partners of Italy's Grimaldi Alliance.

Macedonian lawyers Tatjana Shishkovska, Aleksandar Dimic, and Metodija Velkov have joined the Polenak partnership, working alongside Managing Partner Kristijan Polenak.

After the announced reform of the public procurement procedures in 2017, at the beginning of this year the National Parliament adopted the new Public Procurement Law (“Law”). This new piece of legislation embodies the current EU public procurement rules and sets the legal landscape which is expected to result with transparent and efficient spending of public funds. The Law entered into force on 1 April 2019, but its applicability will be de facto prolonged in practice due to the start of the presidential elections.

Turcan Cazac has advised Victoriabank and Banca Transilvania on a club deal loan in Moldova to Lemi Invest S.A. to finance the construction of the first A+ class office building in Chisinau, and a 4-star Courtyard Marriott Hotel. Volciuc Ionescu reportedly advised Victoriabank and Banca Transilvania on matters of Romanian law.

Efrim, Rosca & Associates has advised the Moldovan Government, acting through the Agency for Public Property, on its sale of 63.8865% of the authorized capital of Moldindconbank to Bulgaria's Doverie United-Holding AD. Gladei & Partners and Cobzac & Partners advised Doverie-Invest on the deal, which had received preliminary approval on January 22 from the National Bank of Moldova.

According to Oleg Efrim, the Managing Partner at Moldova’s Efrim Rosca Asociatii law firm, the primary topic of interest at the moment in the Moldovan legal community is the country’s newly modernized Civil Code which will become effective on March 1, 2019. According to Efrim, the new Code will be a significant upgrade to the existing law, which entered into force in 2003 as the country’s first following the fall of the Soviet Union. “It’s a substantial amendment,” Efrim reports, pointing out that the number of articles is increasing from the existing 1624 to 2671, and he says that "it is, indeed, a modernization of the Code.”

Even though Montenegro, located in Southeastern Europe on the Adriatic Coast and with a population of just over 600 thousand people, is a small country, its vast energy potential has been recognized by numerous international investors and by the Montenegrin Government.

While current affairs seem to be stable in Montenegro, according to Tripkovic & Raicevic Founding Partner Pavle Tripkovic, the recent bankruptcies of Invest Bank of Montenegro and Atlas Bank have alarmed the local banking market.

Jones Day has advised Societe Generale in connection with the sale of its majority stake in the share capital of Societe Generale Montenegro, a company listed on the Montenegrin Stock Exchange, to OTP Bank Nyrt. Schoenherr advised Societe Generale on matters of Montenegrin law, while CMS advised OTP.

Greenberg Traurig has advised Madison International Realty and Ghelamco on the sale of the Warsaw Spire A office building to Immofinanz. Magnusson advised Immofinanz on the transaction, which involved the sale by affiliates of Madison International Realty and Ghelamco of their respective 50% stakes in the building to Immofinanz through a share deal. The transaction remains subject to anti-trust approval.

Wolf Theiss has set up a Restructuring Practice in its Warsaw office and appointed former DWF and K&L Gates Partner Lech Gilicinski as its head.

Allen & Overy has advised PKO Bank Hipoteczny on the issue of green covered bonds worth PLN 250 million.

Romania's MPR Partners and the De Breij law firm in Amsterdam have advised Dutch company Nederlandse MKB Participatiemaatschappij on its acquisition of BusyMachines BV, a Dutch-Romanian software developer, which closed at the end of April 2019.

Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii has advised Dedeman on the establishment of EquiLiant Capital Project, a private equity fund that will target small and medium-sized enterprises in Romania.

BPV Grigorescu Stefanica has advised Adrian Sarbu on his role setting up a new TV station in Romania called Smart TV with co-founding partner Marius Tuca. Tuca was advised by Taralunga and Associates.

The Moscow and London offices of Baker Botts have advised PAO Novatek on the sale of a 10% participation interest in the Arctic LNG 2 project to each of China National Offshore Oil Corporation and China National Petroleum Corporation. Herbert Smith Freehills advised China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Company, a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation on its investment. Pinsent Masons and Infralex reportedly represented CNOOC on the deal.

Eversheds Sutherland has merged with Russian law firm Tilling Peters, adding nine lawyers, including partners Oxana Peters and Ekaterina Tilling, to its team.

Akin Gump has advised Russian Internet and IT company Mail.ru on the formation of a joint venture with the Alibaba Group, a global digital commerce company, PJSC MegaFon, a pan-Russian operator of digital opportunities, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund. Cleary advised MegaFon on the deal, while Linklaters advised the Russian Direct Investment Fund. Debevoise advised Alibaba.

JPM has advised China Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co. LTD regarding a concession project for four underground garages in the City of Belgrade.

Harrisons has advised the EBRD in relation to a EUR 40 million loan to Erste Bank Serbia for the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Karanovic & Partners has advised the German company ZF on matters related to the opening of its factory in Pancevo, Serbia, as part of the first phase of a EUR 160 million investment. The factory will start producing machines, generators for hybrid and electric drives, gearshift switches, and microswitches in the first half of June.

Kinstellar and Ashurst have advised AIP Asset Management, a Seoul-based asset manager, and London real estate investment manager The Valesco Group, on their EUR 120 million acquisition of the newly developed Twin City Tower in Bratislava from HB Reavis. White & Case advised HB Reavis.

Kinstellar has announced the launch of a dedicated Asset Solutions practice.

Dentons Slovakia Managing Partner Peter Kubina has been appointed adviser for law, justice, and constitutional law by President-elect of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Caputova, who recently announced the appointment of her board of official advisers.

Bojovic Draskovic Popovic & Partners and the other members of the South East Legal Alliance have become official partners of Italy's Grimaldi Alliance.

“It has been busy in the business arena,” says Marko Ketler, Senior Partner and Attorney at Law in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners, citing ongoing consolidation in banking sector with the potential sale of Abanka, the third largest bank in Slovenia, and recent major M&A transactions, including the sale of Intereuropa, the largest Slovenian logistics company, to Posta Slovenije. "We can expect a busy summer with several large M&A deals pending."

Resentment by domestic law firms in CEE markets against the international and regional firms that have moved in on their once exclusive domain is a common, though perhaps diminishing, refrain. How do domestic law firms in Slovenia feel about the foreign firms that have opened up shop next door?

I. Introduction: Merger, in general, is a complex procedure which requires detailed and long formalities. Simplified merger creates an option for the joint stock companies to merge in a faster way without being subject to certain transactions.

On May 30, 2019, Ministry of Justice (“Ministry”) prepared the judicial reform strategy document (“Strategy Document”) which introduces comprehensive changes and improvements to the Turkish judicial system. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey announced and presented the new reforms brought by the Strategy Document to the attendees of a conference on judicial reform strategy. 

The Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (“Agency”) announced¹ the Draft Regulation on Sales, Advertising and Promotion of Medical Devices (“Draft Regulation”) on May 9, 2019. The Draft Regulation will replace the Regulation on Sales, Advertising and Promotion of Medical Devices (“Regulation”) currently in force. Through the announcement, the Agency expressed that the Regulation requires an amendment as a result of practical matters presented during the implementation of the Regulation and the current needs of the sector. The Agency has invited suggestions and comments from concerned parties until close of business on June 9, 2019, by post or through the Agency’s official e-mail address.

CMS has advised ING, the lead mandated arranger and book runner for the EUR 100 million financing of MHP’s acquisition of Slovenian poultry producer Perutnina Ptuj.

Avellum has acted as Ukrainian legal counsel to the EBRD and Nederlandse Financierings – Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. in connection to a EUR 24.5 million senior secured loan granted to LLC Chysta Enerhiia-2011, with 50% from each. Integrites reportedly advised Chysta Enerhiia-2011 on the deal.

CMS Ukraine has advised Acciona Energia on all aspects of its joint venture projects with UDP Renewables, a Ukrainian investment and development company for the renewable energy sector. Everlegal reportedly advised UDP Renewables on the deal.