The recent dismissal of Vesna Dameva from her position as President of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia was both surprising and concerning – and could spell disaster for the country’s judicial system – according to Law Firm Joanidis Partner Aleksandar Joanidis.

Despite a potential recession and high-interest rates, the overall outlook for the Polish market remains optimistic, with robust M&A activity in sectors such as IT, infrastructure, renewable energy, and gaming, according to Clifford Chance Office Managing Partner Agnieszka Janicka.

As elections loom large, Greece continues to play to its strengths – with energy and hospitality & leisure leading the charge – while the legislative process has been slowing down and some investors have adopted a holding-pattern approach, according to Papapolitis & Papapolitis Partner Evi Tsilou.

Reconstruction efforts, the relocation and diversification of businesses, currency control restrictions buoying the local M&A market, and the restart of privatizations and concessions are among the key developments in Ukraine’s business landscape, according to Integrites Senior Partner Illya Tkachuk.

Slovenia strongly emphasizes infrastructure development as an integral component of its commitment to the green transition, together with developments in solar, wind, geothermal, and hydrogen energy projects, according to Selih & Partnerji Partner Blaz Ogorevc.

The political landscape in Montenegro is dominated by the upcoming elections and the formation of a new government – sometimes leading to populist measures that may negatively affect certain industries – yet sectors like energy, tourism, and IT keep experiencing growth, according to BDK Advokati Senior Partner Luka Popovic.

In the midst of ongoing political gridlock following Bulgaria's fifth parliamentary election in two years, industries such as energy, renewables, high-tech, and healthcare still make the country an attractive investment destination, according to Schoenherr Office Managing Partner Alexandra Doytchinova.

With political instability leading to a legislative stall in Slovakia, a spark of hope flickers through the freshly approved National Research Development and Innovation Strategy, according to Majernik & Mihalikova Partner Katarina Mihalikova.

Serbia seems to rank highly on the destination lists of foreign investors – as the country has been experiencing an uptick in M&A and the arrival of new players – with IT, pharmaceuticals, and energy being among the sectors seeing significant growth, according to Bojanovic & Partners Managing Partner Vladimir Bojanovic.

Despite the challenges, Croatia’s M&A market appears to hold promise in 2023 – particularly in the retail, IT, and renewables sectors – according to Ostermann & Partners Managing Partner Mojmir Ostermann.

Estonia is looking at reforming its tax system and the legal profession's standards, amid overall economic uncertainty that is impacting banking, finance, and start-ups, according to TGS Baltic Partner Kirsti Pent.

A rather busy M&A market in the Czech Republic – with the IT, industrial, and energy sectors spearheading economic bustle – will soon face important legislative updates regarding the tax system and labor regulations, according to Kinstellar Partner Karla Rundtova.

As the country quickly approaches the end of another election cycle, there appears to be an increase in litigation proceedings in Turkey – at least when it comes to the M&A and construction sectors – according to Esin Attorney Partnership Partner Demet Kasarcioglu.

The start of the year might have been a bit slow in Hungary as well, but things have shifted towards a more positive outlook for the legal industry in the country, according to Lakatos, Koves and Partners Managing Partner Peter Lakatos.

Romania's markets faced a bit of a slow start to the year but have since overcome it and are back on the right track, according to MPR Partners Partner Daniel Alexie.

Political turmoil and contentious policy changes could cloud the investment climate in Montenegro, but the economy is still performing well – primarily driven by the IT, energy, and tourism sectors – according to Pejovic Legal Partner Milena Roncevic Pejovic.

Advancing renewable energy initiatives, establishing remote companies, and adopting criminal justice reform are currently the key priorities on the legal agenda in Greece, according to Politis & Partners Partner Nikolaos Anastopoulos.

Remote work has become widespread in Serbia – and dominant in industries like IT – while the country is facing both layoffs and a shortage of workers, depending on the sector, according to NKO Partners Partner Danica Milic.