The rising interest rates in Slovenia are reshaping the banking sector, while the renewables sector is looking at potentially clear skies and the M&A sector is experiencing vibrant SME activity on account of a generational change, according to Sibincic Krizanec Novak Partner Matic Novak.

To introduce a permanent foreign direct investment (FDI) screening mechanism, an amendment to the Investment Promotion Act (Amendment) is expected by the end of June 2023, and the new Prevention of Restriction of Competition Act now foresees a simplified merger review.

During the Three Seas Initiative annual general meeting in Bucharest in September 2023, Austria's Dorda, Bulgaria's Boyanov & Co., Croatia's Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka, the Czech Republic's Kocian Solc Balastik, Estonia's Ellex Raidla, Hungary's Lakatos Koves & Partners, Latvia's Ellex Klavins, Lithuania's Ellex Valiunas, Poland's Wardynski and Partners, Romania's Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen, Slovakia's Barger Prekop, and Slovenia's Selih & Partnerji announced they formed the Three Seas Legal Alliance, in recognition of the progress made by the Three Seas Initiative.

NKO Partners has advised the Belgrade-based PGM Live TV production and distribution company on its acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in VPK Balkan from Slovenian production company VPK PRO, thus gaining full ownership of the target. Sole practitioner Nenad Davidovic advised the seller.

Schoenherr Attorney at Law Matej Crnilec has become a new Local Partner in the firm’s Slovenian office.

On August 14, 2023, Binder Groesswang announced that Macquarie Asset Management's acquisition of a significant minority stake in Best in Parking AG (reported by CEE Legal Matters on May 10, 2023) had closed.

The EU Directive on Work-life balance was implemented in the Slovenian national legislation on 01 April 2023, resulting in notable changes and obligations for employers. As for the EU Directive on Transparent and predictable working conditions, its provisions will be incorporated within the amendments to the Employment Relationship Act, which will anticipatedly be presented to the National Assembly for adoption in the upcoming autumn. What implications do these directives hold for businesses?

Fatur Menard has advised the Trigal RE Fund on its acquisition of the Situla commercial building in Ljubljana from Centauro Holdings. The Brezovec law firm reportedly advised Centauro Holdings.

Karanovic & Partners has advised the OTP Group on its acquisition of the Ilirika Fund Management Company in Serbia.

The business situation in Slovenia remains solid, although several challenges worsening prospects for the future are present – from the worker shortage to increasing prices and indications of a potential slowdown – while the country works on its green transition and considers reforming its tax, pension, and health systems and employment legislation, according to Kirm Perpar Partner Jan Gorjup.

On June 30, 2023, Schoenherr announced that OMV’s sale of OMV Slovenija to MOL (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on June 17, 2021) had closed.

In the context of the ESG framework, under the planned allocation within the EU, Slovenia should (according to the EIB) allocate EUR 520 million per year to renewable energy sources and their efficient use, and EUR 780 million per year if we add transport, waste, and water to the equation.

On 22 March 2023, an amendment to the Transnational Provision of Services Act (Zakon o čezmejnem izvajanju storitev – ZČmIS-1, “Act on Cross-Border Services“) was adopted and partially came into force on 18 April 2023, with individual provisions becoming effective on 1 January 2024.

ODI Law has advised Slovenian diagnostic company MESI on the EUR 18 million investment received from SHS Capital's SHS VI Healthcare Investments fund. Wolf Theiss advised the investor. 

Selih & Partnerji has advised Nova KBM on its sale of the Tabor II shopping center in Maribor, Slovenia, to Boscarol d.o.o. through an auction process. The Premrl Law Office advised the acquiring company and its shareholder, Ivo Boscarol, on the acquisition.

A couple of legislative changes that affect working parents, foreign employees and posted employees recently came into effect in Slovenia.

On June 7, 2023, the Arbitration Association of Central and Eastern Europe – ArbCEE – was officially launched in Bratislava.

In the past few years, the global community has faced the acute challenges of the COVID-19 health crisis and the war in Ukraine, which significantly impacted the continuing rapid increase of prices in the building industry. The main reasons for the rising prices of building materials were initially linked to the health crisis, as many production facilities were closed and production was severely delayed. Once the post-closure period started, demand for materials worldwide surged, exceeding supply.