Bernitsas Law has advised Dodoni on its issuance of a EUR 75 million bond loan with mandated lead arrangers Piraeus Bank and Eurobank. Koutalidis reportedly advised Piraeus Bank and Eurobank.

PwC Legal has advised aquaculture specialist Agromey on its sale to Kilic Holding.

Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen has advised a syndicate of banks on providing a EUR 101.5 million loan facility to the RodBun Group, by refinancing and increasing its existing facilities by EUR 37.14 million. Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised the RodBun Group.

CMS has advised electricity trader Danske Commodities on the licensing of its Bulgarian activities before the country's Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, including for the coordination of a standard and combined balancing group.

Following the Constitutional Court’s (“TCC”) decision annulling the monetary limits for appeal in administrative jurisdiction, the TCC has annulled the regulation that no appeal can be filed against decisions on cases of tax and full remedy and actions of annulment of administrative acts, the subject matter of which does not exceed five thousand liras, as well as the regulation regarding the revaluation of monetary limits. The decision will enter into force on September 21, 2024, nine months after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Ijdelea & Associates has advised the Romanian subsidiary of Nano Energies on obtaining a license from the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority "for the aggregation of both producers and consumers."

Former Turkiye Finans Katilim Bankasi Head of Legal Advisory Mehmet Tekergul has moved to the Alternatif Bank as Head of Legal.

WKB Lawyers has advised the Raben Group on a EUR 23.4 million financing from mBank that will also support the development of a new zero-emission logistics park in Silesia. Deloitte Legal advised mBank.

On April 8, 2024, Integrites announced it had been selected, alongside Latham & Watkins, to advise the Ukrainian Finance Housing Company on a bridge financing to be granted by international financial institutions and the subsequent securitization of mortgage loans.

Taylor Wessing has advised the MLP Group on its public offering of Series G bonds and their listing on the Catalyst alternative trading system of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. CMS reportedly advised arranger mBank.

White & Case has advised joint bookrunners Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, PKO Bank Polski, and UniCredit Bank on PKO Bank Polski's EUR 500 million issuance of senior non-preferred notes due 2028. Allen & Overy reportedly advised PKO Bank Polski.

Bernitsas Law has advised Dodoni on its issuance of a EUR 75 million bond loan with mandated lead arrangers Piraeus Bank and Eurobank. Koutalidis reportedly advised Piraeus Bank and Eurobank.

ACI Partners' Competition practice is busier than ever in Moldova, according to Legal Manager Carolina Parcalab, who points to transactions, Competition Council investigations, and competition law educational initiatives as their primary work sources.

Contributed by Boga & Associates.

Contributed by Babic & Partners.

The question is not "if" you will face a cyberattack, but "when". Ensure your cyberspace is resilient to security risks early. New cybersecurity regulation will impact many Slovak companies this year and next.

Since early 2024, Hungarian legislative efforts have brought about several updates to consumer protection regulations. Ranging from novelties in consumer complaints and related processes, increased consumer protections fines, expanded rights of the consumer protection and competition authority to an unexpected obligation imposed on e-commerce providers to include the local postal delivery provider as a delivery option, changes to the sector have been diverse.

One of the significant questions concerning ESG issues is the cost of transitioning to a more sustainable business environment. Will it result in increased financing costs and restricted access to new borrowing, or will it, on the contrary, lead to the development of new market segments and gradual change? While we cannot provide definitive answers to these questions, in this article, we will examine five ESG drivers and regulatory changes that will be pivotal in 2024. From the introduction of the New Green Asset Ratio to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD/CS3D), we will explore the conditions associated with these new requirements and the potential penalties for non-compliance.

To enhance the competitiveness of the Hungarian economy, the Government plans to accelerate the process of setting up companies in Hungary for foreigners. Currently, individuals who do not understand Hungarian language, should wait days or even weeks to receive the decision from the Hungarian Company Registry Court certifying the registration of their new company.

TGS Baltic has advised the investors, including Scale Wolf VC and Linas Sargautis, on participating in Vilnius-based Blackswan Space's EUR 760,000 pre-seed funding round.

NKO Partners has advised the IGEPA group on its acquisition of a 51% stake in Serbian company Oracal Polikarbonati from Dejan Karic, who will stay on with a 49% stake. Four Legal advised the seller.

CMS has advised Greenvolt Power Solar Poland on its acquisition of an 80-megawatt photovoltaic project – including a battery energy storage system capable of storing electricity up to 25 megawatts per four hours – from AES Global Power Holdings. Spasov & Bratanov, working with Bracewell, advised the seller.

Gessel has advised Poland's Elemental Strategic Metals on forming a joint venture with US-based Ascend Elements to recycle lithium-ion batteries and production waste from battery factories in Poland and other European countries. The Iurico Law Office advised Ascend Elements.

Bucharest's Sirbu & Vornicu Law have advised Enel Green Power Espana on the successful implementation of a FAC-1 framework alliance contract with all the contractors involved in the realization of the Campillo Wind Cluster in Cuenca province, Spain.

Noor and the Lithuanian Red Cross Society have executed a memorandum of cooperation based upon which Noor will provide continuous legal advisory and assistance to the Red Cross on various legal matters.

Everlegal has partnered up with the Norwegian Refugee Council in Ukraine and will be offering the NRC legal support on a number of day-to-day legal issues.

Zivkovic Samardzic has successfully represented the B92 media company before the European Court of Human Rights in a dispute against Serbia.

Zepos & Yannopoulos has advised mandated lead arrangers and coordinators Piraeus Bank and Eurobank on the financing for the 35-year concession agreement regarding the financing, operation, maintenance, and exploitation rights of the Egnatia Odos Motorway and its three vertical road axes.

There are few healthcare reforms that could be called revolutionary. Even fewer have been initiated in the courtroom. Case C-412/23 could be one of those rare cases. On July 5, 2023, the European Commission brought an action against the Slovak Republic for allegedly infringing Directive 2011/7 on combating late payment in commercial transactions by continuously failing in 2015, 2016, 2017, and from 2018 onward to ensure that public entities providing healthcare pay their commercial debts within a maximum period of 60 calendar days.

BSJP BNT has advised Saab on finalizing a PLN 230 million contract for the supply of two Saab 340 airborne early warning and control aircraft and related ground equipment, logistical, and training support to the Polish Armed Forces.

Vukmir & Associates, working with the German offices of Taylor Wessing, Reimer Rechtsanwaelte, and White & Case, has advised Ludwig Pfeiffer Hoch- und Tiefbau on the hive-down of all Croatian assets to the newly established Ludwig Pfeiffer Adria and its full sale to Croatian construction companies AMM and Vodoprivreda Vinkovici. Bradvica Maric Wahl Cesarec Skerlev advised the buyers.

In this article, we'll cover a selection of the TOP 5 Czech insolvency case law from last year.

Former Managing Associate Ramona Birlog has been appointed to a Partner position with Firon Bar-Nir during the latest promotion round in the firm's Litigation and Insolvency department.

According to the provisions of the Labor Law (“Law”), in case of (culpable) breach of work obligations or non-compliance with work discipline by an employee, before terminating the employment contract or imposing another measure prescribed by Law, the employer is obliged to warn the employee in writing about the existence of grounds for termination of the employment contract and to provide them with a deadline (of at least eight days from the date of receipt of the warning) to respond to the allegations included therein.

Cvjeticanin & Partners has advised the Modern Business School on the implementation of Serbian labor law provisions relating to collective and individual aspects within a redundancy case.

As of 1 March 2024, it possible to submit applications for residence permit at the Immigration Authority in accordance with the new regulation, i.e. the Act XC of 2023 on the General Rules for the Entry and Residence of Third-Country Nationals.

TGS Baltic has advised InMedica on its acquisition of the Panevezio Odontologai clinic. Glimstedt advised the seller.

The Ergun Law Firm has advised Koc Holding on its acquisition of 80% of the shares in the Kemer Medical Center Ozel Saglik Hizmetleri. The Akol Law Firm reportedly advised the sellers, including CEECAT Capital.

The recent judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) on the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) medicinal products online (C-606/21, decision published on 29.02.2024) may have a direct impact on the existing Hungarian legislation and established market practice.

BBH has successfully represented the Diamo state-owned enterprise in a dispute concerning its obligation to perform a contract worth over CZK 1 billion.

Stratulat Albulescu Partner Adriana Dobre has been appointed the firm's new Head of Dispute Resolution.

CMS has successfully represented El Consult PV in a civil dispute initiated by EPC contractor SimInvest claiming compensation for damages before Bulgarian courts.

On April 1, 2024, BDK Advokati announced that Waberer’s acquisition of MDI (reported by CEE Legal Matters on October 16, 2023) had closed.

SKJB Szybkowski Kuzma Jelen Brzoza-Ostrowska has advised the seller on the sale of two logistics parks with a gross leasable area of over 82,000 square meters located in Pruszkow and Ozarow Mazowiecki.

BSJP BNT has advised Saab on finalizing a PLN 230 million contract for the supply of two Saab 340 airborne early warning and control aircraft and related ground equipment, logistical, and training support to the Polish Armed Forces.

Avellum has advised the Kernel Group on the acquisition of 100% of shares in Reni-Oil LLC – a sunflower oil transshipment terminal with a storage capacity of 15,000 tons, in the port of Reni, on the Danube – for a consideration of USD 24.75 million.

Fortsakis Diakopoulos & Associates has advised the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund on the sale of a 67% stake in the Heraklion Port Authority to a consortium consisting of Grimaldi Euromed and Minoan Lines.

Djingov Gouginski Kyutchukov & Velichkov has advised ICBC International Finance Limited on a USD 66.22 million ship financing extended to the Navibulgar group. Stephenson Harwood reportedly advised Navibulgar.

TGS Baltic has advised the investors, including Scale Wolf VC and Linas Sargautis, on participating in Vilnius-based Blackswan Space's EUR 760,000 pre-seed funding round.

Filip & Company has advised the Digi Spain Telecom group on its sale of an FTTH network to Sota Investments Spain – controlled by a consortium formed by Macquarie Capital, Abrdn, and Arjun Infrastructure Partners – in an up to EUR 750 million transaction. Allen & Overy Spain reportedly advised Sota Investments.

Stratulat Albulescu has advised the founders of Romanian automated cybersecurity solutions provider Coda Intelligence on the sale of the company to PDQ. Kirkland & Ellis reportedly advised PDQ.

Wardynski & Partners has represented the Civil Society Drug Policy Initiative on a pro bono basis in a dispute with Meta.

Integrites has provided pro bono defense representation to a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine concerning criminal charges brought against him by the military command. The firm also advised the soldier's family on obtaining monetary compensation.

Schoenherr has signed new legal services and partnership agreements to continue providing pro bono legal advice to Concordia – an independent NGO supporting children, young people, and families in need in Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Kosovo, and Austria – which the firm has been supporting for the past 15 years.

Taylor Wessing has advised the MLP Group on its public offering of Series G bonds and their listing on the Catalyst alternative trading system of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. CMS reportedly advised arranger mBank.

Dentons has advised Santander Bank Polska, Erste Group Bank, and Rand Merchant Bank on their EUR 145.2 million loan extended to EPP and Echo Investment for the refinancing of the Galeria Mlociny shopping center in Warsaw. Clifford Chance advised EPP and Echo Investment.

Clifford Chance has advised Hillwood on the financing of the construction of the Hillwood & LCube Wroclaw East warehouse park in Dobrzykowice, near Wroclaw, provided by mBank and amounting to over EUR 28.4 million. CMS reportedly advised mBank.

Former Counsels Maria Nefeli Bernitsa and Fotodotis Malamas have been appointed to Partner positions with Greek law firm Bernitsas.

As we move into yet another year with the special surtaxes in effect, the question justifiably arises: for how much longer will the extra-profit taxes, those labelled initially as temporary, encumber the Hungarian taxpayers’ declarations. Also, businesses now have to face additional burdens, such as the EPR fees, the carbon quota tax or the global minimum of the corporate income tax.

Certain amendments to the Land Transaction Act entered into force on 1 January 2024. The amendment introduces the definition of a rice farm, which includes the land and, as an accessory thereto, the land parcel registered as an area excluded from cultivation serving the rice production (e.g. ditch and drainage systems, embankments and farm roads). The amended Act contains specific provisions, such as two new legal bases for the pre-emption right in respect of rice farms.

Walless has advised the Typhoon Wealth Group Limited on its acquisition of Lithuania's Ambr Payments.

The question is not "if" you will face a cyberattack, but "when". Ensure your cyberspace is resilient to security risks early. New cybersecurity regulation will impact many Slovak companies this year and next.

Cvjeticanin & Partners has advised Infinity Production on copyright protection for the Sing with Me TV music show.

Mihai Morar and Mihai Lemnaru have been promoted to Partner positions with Albu Morar.

Dan Minoiu has become a new Deputy Managing Partner at Musat & Asociatii, while Ana Maria Abrudan, Mateea Codreanu, and Stefan Diaconescu have all been promoted to Partner positions.

Masa Kramar, Eva Rop, Matija Urankar, and Marusa Senica have all been promoted to Partner positions with the Senica law firm in Ljubljana.