The Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Business Climate has introduced a draft law for the establishment of the Development Bank of Albania (“DBA”), a specialised public financial institution designed to facilitate financing for small and medium enterprises, start-ups, and underfinanced sectors. The bank is also envisioned as a key player in promoting exports of domestic products and services, as well as supporting public projects and various infrastructure developments.

Albania is aligning with EU regulations through new laws, including a data protection law in 2025 and a new updated electronic communications law, according to Ismailaj & Partners Managing Partner Erinda Ismailaj. With elections on May 11, legislative activity has slowed, creating uncertainties that can lead to a lack of predictability in a business environment.

CEE Legal Matters is proud to introduce the latest in our Comparative Guides series. This one focuses on Real Estate in CEE.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is a central component of the EU’s Digital Finance Package. The aim is to enhance information and communications technology (ICT) security and digital operational resilience in the financial sector. Financial institutions and ICT service providers have until January 17, 2025, to fully implement the requirements.

Brandl Talos has advised Xund on a EUR 6 million pre-series A financing round led by Lead Ventures with participation from J&T Ventures and existing investors MassMutual Ventures, TBA network, and Lana Ventures. Herbst Kinsky, and reportedly Erdos Partners, advised Lead Ventures.

Contributed by Arzinger

The commercial legal markets of Central & Eastern Europe didn’t appear automatically. They didn’t develop in a vacuum. They were formed, shaped, and led, by lawyers – visionary, hard-working, commercially-minded, and client-focused individuals pulling the development of CEE’s legal markets along behind them as they labored relentlessly for their clients, their careers, their futures. 

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. This time around we asked: If you have a formal partnership track, how do you handle lawyers on it who do NOT end up living up to the requirements to make a Partner?

Former iQR Asset Management Partner and Head of Legal and Compliance Dino Aganovic, Wiener Osiguranje Vienna Insurance Group Head Of Legal and Secretary Davor Majstorovic, and MTEL in-house counsel Vladimir Bjekic have joined forces to launch AMB Legal Group in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

BDK Advokati has entered North Macedonia via a cooperation agreement with a local qualified independent Attorney at Law Josif Filipovski. Moreover, the firm has expanded its presence in Bosnia & Herzegovina with the addition of Melika Basic.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The private healthcare sector across CEE has been expanding at a remarkable pace, reshaping the way people access and experience medical care.

Financing transactions often involve lenders taking security over the assets of a borrower’s group of companies. The typical security package in Bulgaria includes security over the borrower’s and other relevant group companies’ shares and the receivables deriving from such shares.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The private healthcare sector across CEE has been expanding at a remarkable pace, reshaping the way people access and experience medical care.

Cash pooling arrangements allowing companies to optimize their cash and better manage liquidity have been present as part of the financial product offered by banks to their clients for some time now.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The private healthcare sector across CEE has been expanding at a remarkable pace, reshaping the way people access and experience medical care.

The DORA regulation (Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on digital operational resilience for the financial sector) is an essential piece of European legislation aiming to bolster cybersecurity within the EU.

Over the recent years, Greece has taken significant steps in stabilizing its banking sector, owing to several regulatory reforms and a strengthened capital position of its banks. Moody’s revision of the country’s outlook to “positive” in September 2024 is mainly attributed to the recovery of the Greek banking sector and the country’s strong economic performance.

Kyriakides Georgopoulos, working with Baker McKenzie, has advised Atlas Tapes on the acquisition of 100% of the paid-up share capital of PPM Industries Group from Auctus Capital Partners and the CEO of the PPM Industries group Matteo Pellegrini. Advant Nctm reportedly advised Auctus Capital Partners. PedersoliGattai reportedly advised PPM Industries and Matteo Pellegrini while Pirola Pennuto Zei & Associati reportedly advised Matteo Pellegrini.

Bernitsas has advised Ethniki Holdings Limited on the sale of its 90.01% stake in Ethniki Asfalistiki to Piraeus Bank for a total consideration of EUR 600 million on a 100% basis.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

Private equity funds have become an increasingly popular investment vehicle in Hungary since the late 2010s, currently, the register of the National Bank of Hungary shows more than 165 private equity funds registered in Hungary. Although the availability of specific statistics is limited, based on the partial data, it can be estimated that the total assets of Hungarian private equity funds are roughly around HUF 3 trillion, i.e., close to 4% of the nominal GDP of Hungary.

On 15 January 2025, the new electronic land register was launched in Hungary, although the transitional rules currently still allow for the use of the previous paper-based procedure. At the end of February 2025, the Hungarian Government proposed amendments to the recently implemented electronic land registry system (E-ING) to enhance legal uniformity and bolster the security of real estate transactions.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The private healthcare sector across CEE has been expanding at a remarkable pace, reshaping the way people access and experience medical care.

Ellex has advised Estonian-based Blackwall on its EUR 45 million series B funding round led by Dawn Capital with participation from existing investors.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The Law for Protection of Personal Data (LPPD) in Kosovo establishes guidelines for protecting personal data and regulates its transfer to other countries.

Kalo & Associates has advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on a partnership with Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo under the Norway Western Balkans Growth Support Program.

The private healthcare sector across CEE has been expanding at a remarkable pace, reshaping the way people access and experience medical care.

A credit institution typically possesses funds belonging to depositors. However, there may be situations when the institution also holds property that belongs to third parties. This article aims to examine the concept of third-party property in the case of a credit institution’s insolvency.

Cobalt has successfully represented Swedish truck manufacturer Volvo Truck Corporation in a dispute initiated by Balta against Latvian truck conversion specialist Unitruck.

The private healthcare sector across CEE has been expanding at a remarkable pace, reshaping the way people access and experience medical care.

The Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) has just been launched, and this brings big changes for crypto-asset markets in the European Union. MiCAR applies to both crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) and crypto-asset issuers, but it focuses mainly on CASPs due to the higher risks involved with their activities. Each EU member state has the option to set its own transition periods for implementing the CASP regulations.

Walless, working with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, has advised Triumph Financial on the acquisition of Greenscreens.ai via a transaction valued at USD 160 million.

Polenak Law Firm founder Nikola Polenak has passed away.

The Commission for Protection of the Competition of North Macedonia (CPC) has significantly intensified its enforcement activities in the food retail sector, signalling a stricter regulatory approach toward potential anti-competitive behaviour.

On 5 February 2025, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of North Macedonia (“Court”) annulled the Solidarity Tax Law (“Law”), ruling that it violated several key constitutional principles.

The private healthcare sector across CEE has been expanding at a remarkable pace, reshaping the way people access and experience medical care.

Did you know that corporate bonds in Moldova are unlocking a financial transformation, raising millions for businesses, and opening doors for investors? For years, Moldova’s capital markets have been characterized by limited activity, primarily consisting of equity securities and government bonds. The emergence of corporate bonds marks a significant turning point, signaling a transformation in the country`s financial ecosystem. Recent regulatory reforms and successful stories of bond issuances are redefining the market, creating new investment opportunities for market participants.

ACI Partners  Legal Manager Carolina Parcalab talks about competition in Moldova in 2025.

Montenegro’s real estate and hospitality sectors have been gaining momentum, driven by the country’s natural beauty, strategic location, and an increasingly favorable investment environment. Keker, Bujkovic, Pejovic Partner Aleksandra Bujkovic, JPM Partners Senior Partner Lana Vukmirovic Misic, BDK Advokati Senior Partner Luka Popovic, and Vujacic Law Office Partner Sasa Vujacic discuss the country’s competitive advantages, challenges faced by investors, and the steps needed to further enhance its appeal to foreign capital.

Vezuv Director of Legal Affairs Filip Knezevic talks about his career and the challenges of navigating the regulator’s relationship with the gambling sector.

An in-depth look at Luka Popovic of BDK Advokati covering his career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about him as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The inherent volatility of the financial market offers many opportunities but also poses significant risks. Following the 2007-2008 financial crisis, legislators in the European Union struggled to contain the non-performing exposure (NPE) cycle through legislative action.

Schoenherr has advised Dealavo on its sale to JTL-Software. DWF advised JTL-Software.

Aiming to protect consumers from potentially excessive interest rates applied by Romanian non-bank financial institutions (NBFI) and to ensure increased transparency in loan claim assignments, in November 2024, Romania enacted Law 243/2024 on consumer protection regarding the total cost of credit and assignment of claims (Law 243/2024). 

Nyerges & Partners has advised R.Power Renewables on an 11-year physical power purchase agreement for the full output of four solar photovoltaic projects developed in Romania.

The White-Collar Crime Department of the law firm Musat & Asociatii, having a wide expertise in cybersecurity and in providing legal assistance and representation in complex cases involving cyber fraud, informs its clients and the general public about a newly emerging method of smishing (phishing via mobile phone messaging) in virtual space., which involves perpetrators targeting messaging and calling platform accounts (e.g. WhatsApp) with the intent of compromising and cloning them to commit various crimes.

Contributed by Clifford Chance.

Contributed by Alrud.

The commercial legal markets of Central & Eastern Europe didn’t appear automatically. They didn’t develop in a vacuum. They were formed, shaped, and led, by lawyers – visionary, hard-working, commercially-minded, and client-focused individuals pulling the development of CEE’s legal markets along behind them as they labored relentlessly for their clients, their careers, their futures. 

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The investment volume curve concerning Serbia’s capital markets and trading on the Belgrade Stock Exchange is on a downward trajectory as of the end of the second round of mass privatizations and the start of the 2008-2009 economic crisis.

The distinction between a domestic and a foreign arbitral award is important because it affects the recognition, enforcement, and legal remedies available under Serbian law. The domicile of the award is determined by the seat of arbitration and the law applied to the arbitral proceedings.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

Dentons has advised Shopper Park Plus on the acquisition via its subsidiary Shopping Malls SVK of a Tesco-anchored retail park portfolio in Slovakia from Tesco Stores. Wilsons reportedly advised Tesco.

CMS has advised joint lead managers HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Slovenska Sporitelna, and Tatra Banka on the Slovak Republic’s bond issuance of EUR 3 billion 3.750% notes due 2040.

Slovenia’s financing landscape over the past couple of years has been characterized by the expansion and consolidation efforts of Hungary’s OTP banking group, resulting in the market being headed by two comparably large institutional players: NLB and OTP. In fact, consolidation in the banking sector could have easily been the talk of the year had it not been for the increased financing costs fueled by relatively high interest rates combined with volatile energy prices that have been causing headaches for the economy on all levels.

Rojs, Peljhan, Prelesnik & Partners has advised Unior Group on the sale of Unitur Hotels & Resorts to Advance Capital Partners. Fatur Menard advised Advance Capital Partners.

Ketler & Partners, a member of Karanovic, has advised Hocevar on the sale of the Lambergh Chateau & Hotel in Radovljica, Slovenia, to Orthos Nepremicnine.

Turkiye has long had one of the lowest non-performing loan (NPL) rates in Europe, but recent years have seen some ups and downs. Between 2017 and 2020, the rate fluctuated between 3.25% and 3.46%. During the pandemic, the rate dropped significantly as borrowers benefited from extended loan payment schedules. Thereafter, the rate rose briefly before falling below the European Union average of 2.27% in 2023. Since the beginning of 2024, however, rising interest rates have pushed the NPL rate back up, to 1.71%. Experts expect the rate to rise to 2.5% by the end of the year, above the EU average and a challenge for borrowers and lenders.

Paksoy, working with Linklaters, has advised Actera Group and Esas Holding on their exit from Mars Spor Kulubu to Benefit Systems. Herguner Bilgen Ucer and Moskwa Jarmul Haladyj advised Benefit Systems.

Aksan has advised on the establishment of the PCP Capital Partners venture fund. 

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

In the midst of ongoing conflict, one solution is emerging that could be a crucial factor in attracting foreign investment to Ukraine: war risk insurance. Asters Senior Partner Armen Khachaturyan, Dentons Partner Adam Mycyk, Integrites Partner Igor Krasovskiy, and Redcliffe Partners Managing Partner Olexiy Soshenko discuss how this specialized insurance product is shaping the investment landscape.

Nestle South Eastern Europe Head of Legal & Compliance Natalia Lysa discusses her career, the rewards of working closely with business operations, and the challenges of navigating legal complexities during Ukraine’s war.