On December 6, 2022, Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka announced that Merkur Osiguranje’s acquisition of Wustenrot Zivotno Osiguranje (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on July 26, 2022) had closed.

December will be a turbulent month in terms of legislation in Croatia, according to Miskovic & Miskovic Partner Iva Miskovic, as the parliament is addressing considerable changes in the fields of labor and trade law, while the transition to the euro enters into force on January 1.

Kinstellar Croatian affiliate Zuric i Partneri has advised Insite's former shareholders on the sale of their shares in the company to Halcom. Gugic, Kovacic & Krivic reportedly advised the buyer.

On November 10, four Banking & Finance experts from Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Serbia sat down for a virtual round table moderated by CEE Legal Matters Managing Editor Radu Cotarcea to discuss banking consolidation, financing availability, the effects of high interest rates, bank capitalization, green financing, the specter of loan restructuring, and the other challenges the sector is facing.

On November 25, 2022, Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka announced that Entain’s acquisition of the SuperSport Group from Emma Capital (reported by CEE Legal Matters on August 18, 2022) had closed.

Moravcevic Vojnovic and Partners in cooperation with Schoenherr has advised Integral Venture Partners on its acquisition of a controlling stake in Chips Way alongside co-investor and industrial partner Nelt Group. Vukina & Partners advised sellers Jagoda Bajevic, Dobroslav Barbaric, Ivana Vujcic, Matko Dropuljic, Vlatko Barbaric, Djordje Dragicevic, Ivana Einfalt, and Tomislav Bajevic.

Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka and Tus & Grzic have advised Prvo Plinarsko Drustvo and INA, respectively, on the sale of their stakes in joint-venture company Terra Mineral Fertilizer to the Yildirim Group. CMS advised the Yildirim Group.

Contributed by Ostermann.

Batarelo Dvojkovic Vuchetich has advised Provectus Capital Partners on the investment – through its Adria Dental Group subsidiary – in the Dentum Dental Clinic in Zagreb. Pavlicek Ergarac Medved reportedly advised the sellers.

High levels of M&A activity in Croatia, originating from both domestic companies and foreign investors, are reshaping a number of sectors – primarily IT and media – according to Tarja Krehic, Managing Partner of Krehic & Partners in cooperation with Deloitte Legal.

Harmonized rules ensuring smooth functioning of the EU Digital Internal Market finally have finally come into existence. Instead of 27 different legal requirements there will be only one set of rules regulating digital market and services in the EU –namely, the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act.

Drakopoulos has advised the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy on reviewing the transposition process of Directive 2018/2001 (RED II) on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources into the Greek legal framework. Dimitrov Petrov & Co, Kirm Perpar, Wardynski & Partners, and Kinstellar Croatian affiliate Zuric i Partneri advised on the transposition review in Bulgaria, Slovenia, Poland, and Croatia, respectively. CLM Bitai & Partners and Vojcik & Partners also reportedly advised the European Commission.

The position of consumers has been strengthened by a recent Supreme Court resolution by which the courts are obligated, within enforcement proceedings initiated against consumers, to examine, of their own motion (ex officio) whether an enforceable title contains unfair provisions. The resolution only relates to enforceable titles that have not been previously reviewed by a court, primarily agreements concluded in the form of directly enforceable notarial deeds.The resolution of the Supreme Court represents a further step in the protection of consumers with regard to unfair clauses as regulated by Council Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts (UCTD). It is in line with the Guidance on the interpretation and application of the UCTD and the respective decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

CMS has advised a consortium of Zagrebacka Banka, the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the EBRD on financing Taaleri Energia and Encro's EUR 126 million project to build two onshore wind farms near Zadar.

Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka has advised Allianz on the sale of its 11.72% stake in Zagrebacka Banka to the UniCredit Group and on Allianz Holding Eins’ purchase of Zagrebacka Banka’s 16.84% stake in insurance company Allianz Croatia. Schoenherr reportedly advised UniCredit on the transactions.

Kinstellar Croatian affiliate Zuric i Partneri has advised Robin Powered on its acquisition of Flow and Form. Sole practitioner Marko Kapetanovic reportedly advised the seller. 

Vukmir & Associates has advised the majority creditors and bankruptcy administrator on the restructuring and exit from the bankruptcy of Dubrovnik-based Belvedere.

Boyanov & Co has advised BioIVT on its acquisition of Fidelis Research. Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka, BDK Advokati, Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen, and Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli have advised BioIVT on Croatian, Serbian, Romanian, and Turkish law-related matters, respectively. Hristov & Partners advised Integrity Capital Investments on the sale. Penkov Markov & Partners advised the other sellers.