Did you know that the early 2024 deal leaderboards are already available via the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website?

Harrisons, Maric & Co, Lambadarios, and Wolf Theiss, working with Linklaters, have advised a banking consortium led by UniCredit Bank London on the United Group's EUR 1.7 billion issuance of four tranches of senior secured and PIK notes as well as on the increase and extension of its EUR 410 million revolving credit facility. Selih & Partnerji, working with Paul Weiss, advised the United Group. Schoenherr, Koutalidis, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, and Elvinger Hoss Prussen reportedly advised the United Group as well.

Did you know that, using the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website, you can look up the 2023 deal leaderboards in each CEE market, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia?

Gecic Law and Maric & Co have successfully represented the interests of the Arena Channels Group before the Competition Authority and courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina in an antitrust case.

Sajic has successfully represented the interests of Daniel Bubalo before the Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a real estate dispute.

Drakopoulos has become a part of the South East Legal Alliance, thus expanding the network’s reach to Athens, Bucharest, and Nicosia.

By an increasing development of digital technologies, and especially following the recent COVID-19 global pandemic, many employers in Bosnia and Herzegovina have started to implement remote working in their work regime. Depending on the needs of their businesses, some employers have implemented a hybrid regime (i.e., a combination of work from the employer’s premises and remote work), while some have completely switched to remote work regime. Generally, remote work in B&H is attractive for employers, due to cost cutting (e.g. lower lease fees, lower utility costs), but also due to higher employee satisfaction as it supports work-life balance.

The first thing that comes to mind when discussing the tax system in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the complexity of the regulations governing the practical implementation of tax laws. This complexity stems from constitutional provisions that regulate the jurisdiction of institutions at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities, or even cantonal authorities. Therefore, for a better understanding, it is essential to make a clear distinction between direct taxes (income of individuals, profit of legal entities, property) and indirect taxes (VAT, excise taxes).

Schoenherr, working with Walder Wyss and the Law Office of Loren Richards, has advised Raiffeisen Bank International on its EUR 31 million project financing to borrower Energy Financing Team SE Bileca to develop a 60-megawatt solar power plant in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The need for management contracts arises when an employer needs to arrange for a relationship beyond that of one with a simple employee – one with an individual performing managerial or supervisory tasks. Therefore, the relevant labor laws (in the Federation of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, and Brcko District of Bosnia & Herzegovina) introduce management contracts that offer an alternative for the employer to conclude an agreement with a manager without establishing actual employment. The aim is for a more flexible arrangement of said business relationship or established employment which is absolutely subject to the provisions of the relevant labor laws.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is located in the so-called "Western Balkans" region, borders the EU, and has an area of 51,209 km2. Its highly favorable geographical location for harnessing energy potentials has positioned B&H as the only country in the surrounding area with a significant surplus in exporting electrical energy. The water potential is represented by a large number of rivers suitable for building hydroelectric power plants, and substantial potential exists in the areas of wind energy (due to the position of the Dinaric mountain range) and solar energy (averaging over 2000 sunny hours per year).

Karanovic & Partners has advised Burger King on entering the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the opening of its first restaurant in Sarajevo.

In accordance with the Law on Foreign Direct Investment Policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, foreign investors are guaranteed the following:

Bosnia & Herzegovina has experienced a major government change leading to a focus on aligning with the EU, while a significant human rights ruling challenges the country’s ethnic-based voting system – potentially triggering constitutional reform and reshaping its political landscape – according to ODI Law Partner Mia Civic.

Critical legislative occurrences in Bosnia & Herzegovina – primarily focusing on the Constitutional Court, the electricity sector, as well as e-money – are the talk of the town, according to Dimitrijevic & Partners Partner Nina Vjestica.

A brief overview of value added tax and direct tax in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including specifics for direct tax in Federation of B&H, Republic of Srpska, and Brcko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The banking system of Bosnia and Herzegovina incorporates the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina, commercial banks, and other financial institutions. The Central Bank defines and controls the implementation of the monetary policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and assists and maintains appropriate payment and accounting systems. It also coordinates the activities of the banking agencies of the B&H entities (hereinafter: regulators), which are responsible for issuing licenses for the operation and supervision of banks.

With ESG gradually coming into focus, companies, industries, and whole countries are looking to the TMT sector for guidance. CMS Ukraine Partner Olga Belyakova and CMS Bosnia and Herzegovina Counsel Sanja Voloder share their insights.