Category: CEELM PR

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

The CEE Legal Matters Comparative Legal Guide: Litigation 2025 offers a comprehensive overview of the litigation landscape across the region. The guide delves into the structure of court systems, jurisdictional rules, case initiation procedures, timelines, interim measures, discovery, enforcement of judgments, appeals, and litigation funding. With practical insights into national frameworks and cross-border considerations, the guide is an essential resource for legal professionals, in-house counsel, and businesses navigating contentious matters in CEE jurisdictions. 

The guide can be accessed in electronic format here and in pdf format here.

The CEE Legal Matters Comparative Legal Guide: Litigation 2025 includes:

• Litigation in Bulgaria – contributed by Gugushev & Partners
• Litigation in Greece – contributed by Kyriakides Georgopoulos
• Litigation in Hungary – contributed by Oppenheim
• Litigation in Moldova – contributed by Gladei & Partners
• Litigation in Montenegro – contributed by KBP Legal
• Litigation in Poland – contributed by Linklaters
• Litigation in Romania – contributed by RC International Disputes
• Litigation in Slovakia – contributed by Legate
• Litigation in Slovenia – contributed by Senica & Partners
• Litigation in Turkiye – contributed by Balcioglu Selcuk Eymirlioglu Ardiyok Keki Attorney Partnership
• Litigation in Ukraine – contributed by Kinstellar

On the evening of April 1, 2025, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, over 200 top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe’s leading law firms and General Counsel from across the region in Prague.

The black-tie Deal of the Year Awards Banquet, which ran in parallel with the 2025 CEE General Counsel Summit, recognized and celebrated the largest and most important deals in Central and Eastern Europe. The winners of each Country Deal of the Year, as well as the winners of the CEE Deal of the Year, are:

1. Albania: AYEN AS Energji’s EUR 110 Million Syndicated Loan (GKC Partners (White & Case); Kalo & Associates; Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli; Wolf Theiss)
2. Austria: Vauban Infrastructure Partners’ EUR 803 Million Acquisition of Cellnex’s Austrian Telecommunications Tower Assets (Clifford Chance; Hogan Lovells; KPMG Law; Schoenherr; Wolf Theiss)
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Schneider’s Acquisition of Imaco Systemtechnik (Aulinger Rechsanwalte; Maric & Co)
4. Bulgaria: E&’s Acquisition of PPF Telecom Bulgarian, Hungarian, Serbian, and Slovakian Assets (Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov; Karanovic & Partners; Lakatos Koves & Partners; Perkins Coie; Schoenherr; Sullivan & Cromwell; Van Doorne; White & Case)
5. Croatia: Aggreko’s Acquisition of Resalta (Allen Overy Shearman Sterling; BDK Advokati; Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka; RTPR; Rutgers & Posch; Schoenherr; Selih & Partnerji)
6. Czech Republic: CEZ´s Acquisition of GasNet from Macquarie (Allen Overy Shearman Sterling; Burges Salmon; Loyens & Loeff; Skils)
7. Estonia: Mainor Ulemiste’s Acquisition of Majority Stake in Technopolis Ulemiste from Technopolis Baltic Holding (Triniti; Sorainen; Ellex)
8. Greece: Athens International Airport 30% Stake Sale Through IPO (Clifford Chance; Dracopoulos & Vassalakis; Koutalidis; Latham & Watkins; Milbank; PotamitisVekris; Linklaters; White & Case; Your Legal Partners; Zepos & Yannopoulos)
9. Hungary: Corvinus and Vinci Airports’s Acquisition of Budapest International Airport from AviAlliance, Malton, and CDPQ (Bittera, Kohlrusz & Toth; CMS; Freshfields; Herbert Smith Freehills; KCG Partners; Kinstellar; Latham & Watkins; Linklaters; Orrick; PK Law Firm; Wolf Theiss)
10. Kosovo: Maverix Private Equity’s USD 30 Million VC Funding of Kode Labs (Cytowski & Partners; Nallbani Law Firm; Osler Hoskin & Harcourt)
11. Latvia: AirBaltic’s EUR 380 Million Bonds Issuance (Arthur Cox; Cobalt; Dentons; Linklaters; TGS Baltic)
12. Lithuania: AB Siauliu’s EUR 200 Securitization Vehicle (Ellex; TGS Baltic)
13. Moldova: Trans-Oil Group’s USD 550 Million Eurobond Issuance (Arthur Cox; Baker & McKenzie; Gladei & Partners; Harneys Aristodemou Loizides Yiolitis; Homburger; Linklaters; Sayenko Kharenko; Turcan Cazac)
14. Montenegro: Krnovo 72-Megawatt Wind Power Plant Refinancing by KfW IPEX-Bank (Allen Overy Shearman Sterling; Karanovic & Partners; Dentons)
15. North Macedonia: SMA’s Holding’s Acquisition of Studio Moderna (Bona Fide; Deloitte Legal; Tashko Pustina; Van Campen Lien)
16. Poland: Cerberus’s Acquisition of VeloBank from Bank Guarantee Fund (Clifford Chance; CMS; Linklaters; Rymarz Zdort Maruta)
17. Romania: EnergoNuclear and FCSA Joint Venture’s EUR 3.2 Billion EPCM Contract for Cernavoda NPP Units 3 and 4 (CMS; Dentons)
18. Serbia: Actis-Led Consortium’s Acquisition of Telekom Srbija Tower Portfolio (CMS; Deloitte Legal; Kinstellar; Paul Hastings; PwC Legal; Simpson Thacher; Van Campen Liem; White & Case)
19. Slovakia: Creditas Group’s Acquisition of a 100% Stake in GGE from Infracapital (Barger Prekop; BPV Braun Partners; Dentons; Polacek & Partners; Watson Farley & Williams)
20. Slovenia: Aggreko’s Acquisition of Resalta (Allen Overy Shearman Sterling; BDK Advokati; Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka; RTPR; Rutgers & Posch; Schoenherr; Selih & Partnerji)
21. Turkiye: Petrol Ofisi’s Acquisition of British Petroleum’s Downstream Business (Akin Gump; Ashurst; Baykal Saris Law Firm; Gen Temizer Erdogan Girgin; Kinstellar; Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli)
22. Ukraine: NJJ Holding and Horizon Capital-led Consortium’s Acquisition of Datagroup-Volia and Lifecell (Avellum; Bredin Prat; Clifford Chance; CMS; Dentons; DWF; George Yiangou; Gide Loyrette Nouel; Kinstellar; Redcliffe Partners)
23. And the CEE Deal of the Year: E&’s Acquisition of PPF Telecom Bulgarian, Hungarian, Serbian, and Slovakian Assets (Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov; Karanovic & Partners; Lakatos Koves & Partners; Perkins Coie; Schoenherr; Sullivan & Cromwell; Van Doorne; White & Case)

Congratulations to all the winning deals and those who made them happen!

The CEE Legal Matters team is already in Prague – the stage is nearly set, the final touches are coming together, and we’re gearing up to catch up with friends and colleagues both on and off the clock. But that’s not all – while we fine-tune the last details, here’s something to dive into: the CEE Legal Matters March 2025 issue is out now!

Subscribers should be receiving their hard copies in a week or two, but no need to wait for the mail to arrive: the online version of the magazine is already available here. With Market Spotlights on Greece and Austria and an Experts Review section on PPP/Infrastructure, the March 12.2 issue includes:

• Guest Editorial: A Cross-Border Career in CSEE
• Across the Wire: Deals And Cases
• New Homes and Friends: On the Move
• The Buzz
  • Striking Serbia: A Buzz Interview with Igor Zivkovski of Schoenherr
  • What is Green in Austria? A Buzz Interview with Ivo Deskovic of Taylor Wessing
  • Taking Things Slow in Montenegro: A Buzz Interview with Bojana Nikcevic of Jovovic, Mugosa & Vukovic
  • Digital’s the Name of the Game in Hungary: A Buzz Interview with Zoltan Kozma of DLA Piper
  • Vibrant M&A Market in Romania: A Buzz Interview with Loredana Chitu of Dentons
  • Estonia’s in a Cost-Cutting Mood: A Buzz Interview with Annika Vait from Rask Law Firm
• The Debrief: March 2025
• The Corner Office: The Next Big Thing
• Similar Volume, Lower Values: A CMS CEE M&A Report
• Market Spotlight: Greece
  • Greece’s Real Estate: A Market with a View
  • Greece’s Golden Visa: A Decade of Evolution
  • Market Snapshot: Greece
    • Greece’s Constitutional Clash: Court Ruling Alters Real Estate Landscape
    • A 2025 Outlook at the Greek Corporate Landscape
    • Bonding Against the Storm: Navigating Natural Disaster Risks in Greek Banking
  • Inside Insight: Konstantinos Argyropoulos of Space Hellas
  • Know Your Lawyer: John Kyriakides of Kyriakides Georgopoulos
• Market Spotlight: Austria
  • A Wave of Major Insolvencies in Austria
  • Market Snapshot: Austria
    • Austria’s Evolving Crypto and Banking Landscape: A 2025 Perspective
    • Austrian Drones – What Will the Neighbors Say?
    • English Language Courts in Austria
  • Inside Insight: Simone Quantschnigg of Vamed Care
  • Know Your Lawyer: Florian Klimscha of Freshfields
• Experts Review: PPP/Infrastructure
  • Montenegro: PPPs – Legal Framework, Challenges, and Examples
  • Slovenia: Navigating Ljubljana’s Office Real Estate Landscape
  • Slovakia: New Construction Legislation (Again), EIA, and Strategic Investments
  • Bulgaria: Energy Storage Infrastructure on the Rise in Bulgaria
  • Greece: Key Differences and Selection Criteria in Concession Agreements vs Public-Private Partnerships
  • Ukraine: Public-Private Partnership Legislative Transformation for Post-War Reconstruction in 2025
  • Poland: How to Win Public Infrastructure Contracts

With the March 2025 issue of the magazine now out, let’s remember what winter looked like: our January 2024 issue has now been moved from behind the paywall and been made available to subscribers and non-subscribers alike (here in e-reader format and here in pdf).

With Market Spotlights on Ukraine and Montenegro and an Experts Review section on Banking/Finance, the January 11.12 issue included:

• Guest Editorial: Lawyering in Greece – Opportunities, Challenges, and the Path Forward
• Across the Wire: Deals And Cases
• New Homes and Friends: On the Move
• The Buzz
  • Serbia’s Big Money Moves: A Buzz Interview with Nikola Sugaris of ZSP Advokati
  • A Challenging Year in Hungary: A Buzz Interview with Csaba Polgar of Pontes Budapest
  • Slovakia Trying To Consolidate Its Books: A Buzz Interview with Sona Hankova of CMS
  • Montenegro’s EU Journey: A Buzz Interview with Jelena Vujisic of Vujacic Law Office
  • Entrepreneurs’ Shift in Mentality in Romania: A Buzz Interview with Roxana Musoi of Radulescu Musoi
  • Navigating Uncertainty in Bulgaria: A Buzz Interview with Mitko Karushkov of Karushkov Legal Solutions
  • Slovenia’s Exciting Year Ahead: A Buzz Interview with Aleksandra Mitic of Kavcic, Bracun & Partners
  • Steady Sailing for Croatia: A Buzz Interview with Ana Novakovic Stipanicev of Kovacevic Prpic Simeunovic
  • A Rare Pessimism Level in Austria: A Buzz Interview with Markus Piuk of Schoenherr
• The Debrief: January 2025
• The Corner Office: 2024 in (Volume) Review
• Private Healthcare in CEE
• Looking In: Anders Fast of Baker McKenzie
• Market Spotlight: Ukraine
  • Shielding Investments: War-Risk Insurance in Ukraine
  • Market Snapshot: Ukraine
    • Ukraine’s Financial Market Resilience in 2024
    • Upcoming PPP Overhaul To Follow Industrial Parks Legal Framework
    • Agrarian Notes: A New Digital Tool for Attracting Financing in the Agricultural Sector
    • Ukrainian M&A Market Showing Signs of Recovery
  • Inside Insight: Natalia Lysa of Nestle
  • Know Your Lawyer: Igor Lozenko of Sayenko Kharenko
• Market Spotlight: Montenegro
  • Sunny Prospects: Montenegro’s Real Estate and Hospitality Sectors on Solid Ground
  • Market Snapshot: Montenegro
    • Real Estate in Montenegro – Balancing Between Public Revenue Growth and Investment Appeal
    • New Year, New Tax Adjustments: Montenegro’s 2025 Update
  • Inside Insight: Filip Knezevic of Vezuv
  • Know Your Lawyer: Luka Popovic of BDK Advokati
• Experts Review: Banking/Finance
  • Bulgaria: Security Over Shareholder Distributions – What’s New?
  • Moldova: The Role of Corporate Bonds in Unlocking the Country’s Capital Markets
  • Croatia: Physical Cash Pooling Arrangement or Loan Agreement?
  • Serbia: A New Hope – Reviving the Country’s Capital Market
  • Poland: Implementing the NPL Directive – Challenges and Opportunities
  • Slovenia: Financing Snapshot
  • Romania: New Rules on Interest Limitation for Non-Bank Financial Institutions and Loan Claim Assignments
  • Hungary: The (Scheduled) End of UBO Anonymity of Private Equity Funds in Hungary
  • Greece: Banking & Finance – A (Green) Sea of Opportunities?
  • Czech Republic: Cybersecurity and Financial Institutions in Light of DORA and NIS2
  • Turkiye: Non-Performing Loans – Regulatory Landscape and Industry Impact
  • Austria: Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) – Opportunities and Challenges
  • Lithuania: The Launch of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation
  • Latvia: Third-Party Assets Held by a Credit Institution in Cases of Insolvency
  • Ukraine: The Changing Landscape of Cross-Border Finance

Stay abreast of the latest developments and legal news, across CEE. Don’t miss any of the upcoming issues: register for a subscription to the CEE Legal Matters magazine now!

With less than a week to go until the CEE Deals of the Year Awards Banquet, and with all the votes in and tabulated, we’re delighted to unveil this year’s Final Juror Committee.

The reputation and expertise of our Final Selection Committee members are critical in ensuring the credibility and integrity of these awards. “Our awards thrive on the foundation of trust established by our Final Selection Committee members’ outstanding credentials and expertise. We are privileged to count on the participation of all members of this distinguished panel,” commented CEELM Managing Editor Radu Cotarcea.

A big thank you to all who took the time to evaluate all submissions and cast their vote:

• Andrea Gritsch, Partner, Wolf Theiss
• Bojana Bosnjak-London, Partner, Maric & Co
• Borislav Boyanov, Managing Partner, Boyanov & Co
• Ergo Blumfeldt, Managing Partner, Triniti
• Gabriel Zbarcea, Managing Partner, Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii
• Helen Alexiou, Managing Partner, AKL Law Firm
• Jaroslav Havel, Managing Partner, Havel & Partners
• Jiri Sixta, Partner, Glatzova & Co
• Kujtim Kerveshi, Managing Partner, Kerveshi & Partners
• Lukas Michalik, Partner, Ments
• Mario Krka, Senior Partner, Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka
• Martin Hren, Managing Partner, NLaw
• Milos Komnenic, Managing Partner, Komnenic & Partners
• Pavel Hristov, Partner, Hristov & Partners
• Perparim Kalo, Managing Partner, Kalo & Associates
• Raimonds Slaidins, Senior Partner, Ellex
• Tijana Kojovic, Managing Partner, BDK

The CEE Deals of the Year Awards have been granted since 2017 by CEE Legal Matters to celebrate the transactions, financings, IPOs, and other deals that underpin growth throughout the region, as well as the lawyers and law firms who make them happen.

The shortlists (available in full on the DOTY website here) are based on the Country Selection Committees’ votes on all the deals nominated across CEE. The shortlist for each country is based on the votes of the Country Selection Committee. 

The selected winners will be announced at the annual CEE Deals of the Year Banquet scheduled for April 1, 2025, in Prague. More information about the awards and the banquet can be found here.

The CEE legal market never stands still, and 2025 promises to be no different. In our first CEE Legal Matters 2025 special 12.1 issue, “An Outlook on 2025”, we aim to look at what’s on the horizon. Who’s making moves? Which sectors will redefine themselves? Which regulations will take the spotlight? With insights from our practice leaders, we map out the trends and transformations ahead. The CEE Legal Matters February 2025 Issue is here!

As a special issue, the February magazine is available to subscribers and non-subscribers alike, right off the bat (here in electronic format and here in pdf), and includes: 

• Across the Wire: Deals And Cases
• New Homes and Friends: On the Move
• The Buzz
  • Political Turbulence in Georgia and Its Cooling Effect: A Buzz Interview with Vano Gogelia of PwC Georgia
  • Finding Niches in Ukraine: A Buzz Interview with Armen Khachaturyan of Asters
  • Hungary’s ESG and Foreign Direct Investment Regimes Stricter than Most: A Buzz Interview with Judit Budai of Szecskay Attorneys at Law
  • Romania at Crossroads: A Buzz Interview with Mihaela Posirca of Act Legal Romania
• An Outlook on 2025: Banking and Finance in Croatia
• An Outlook on 2025: Banking and Finance in North Macedonia
• An Outlook on 2025: Banking and Finance in Poland
• An Outlook on 2025: Banking and Finance in Serbia
• An Outlook on 2025: Competition in Moldova
• An Outlook on 2025: Competition in Romania
• An Outlook on 2025: Competition in Turkiye
• An Outlook on 2025: Competition in Ukraine
• An Outlook on 2025: M&A in Bulgaria
• An Outlook on 2025: M&A in Greece
• An Outlook on 2025: M&A in Hungary
• An Outlook on 2025: M&A in Moldova
• An Outlook on 2025: M&A in Ukraine
• An Outlook on 2025: Dispute Resolution in Hungary
• An Outlook on 2025: Dispute Resolution in North Macedonia
• An Outlook on 2025: Energy in Bulgaria
• An Outlook on 2025: Energy in Croatia
• An Outlook on 2025: Energy in Serbia
• An Outlook on 2025: Energy in Slovakia
• An Outlook on 2025: ESG in Hungary
• An Outlook on 2025: Labor in the Czech Republic
• An Outlook on 2025: Labor in Poland
• An Outlook on 2025: Real Estate in Montenegro
• An Outlook on 2025: TMT in Croatia
• An Outlook on 2025: TMT in Poland 

With the February 2025 issue of the magazine now out, let’s remember what last year looked like: our December 2024 issue has now been moved from behind the paywall and been made available to subscribers and non-subscribers alike (here in e-reader format and here in pdf).

With Market Spotlights on Poland and Croatia and an Experts Review section on TMT/IP, the December issue included:

• Guest Editorial: Witnessing the Digital Transformation in CEE as an Attorney-at-Law (and More)
• Across the Wire: Deals And Cases
• New Homes and Friends: On the Move
• The Buzz
  • All Serbian Eyes on Expo 2027: A Buzz Interview with Rastko Malisic of MMD Advokati
  • Good Laws, Difficult Execution in Kosovo: A Buzz Interview with Shkumbin Asllani of Inlex
  • Slower But Not Less Interesting Times in Romania: A Buzz Interview with Catalin Alexandru of Filip & Company
  • Cultures Clash in Bulgaria: A Buzz Interview with Ventsislav Tomov of Schoenherr
• The Debrief: December 2024
• The Corner Office: Off The Partnership Track
• For the Love of the Game: CEE’s Gaming Sector
• Looking In: Kuif Klein Wassink of Dentons
• Market Spotlight: Poland
  • Big Goals, Non-Negligeable Challenges: Poland’s Renewable Energy Push
  • Market Snapshot: Poland
    • Disclosure of Employee Termination Reasons to the Entire Workforce
    • Latest Legislative Development in AI – Polish Government Wishes To Be Ahead of the Crowd This Time?
    • The Rise of Short-Term and Early-Stage Finance in Poland’s RES Industry
  • Inside Insight: Pawel Szczepaniak of mBank
  • Know Your Lawyer: Bartosz Miszkurka of Solivan
• Market Spotlight: Croatia
  • Croatia’s Upcoming Real Estate Tax Reform
  • Who Are You Talking To? New Lobbying Law in Croatia
  • Market Snapshot: Croatia
    • Hydrocarbons Seeking their Place Under the Croatian Sun
    • Future of the Legal Landscape for Crypto-Assets in Croatia
    • Croatia’s M&A Landscape in 2024: Sustainability and Energy as Key Drivers
    • Croatian Energy Laws: A Step Behind Entrepreneurial Ambitions?
    • GDPR at Six: A Wake-Up Call That’s Still Being Snoozed
    • Croatian Lawyers and Cybersecurity – Is It Time To Level Up?
  • Inside Insight: Interview with Eva Kovacic of Belupo
  • Know Your Lawyer: Damir Topic of Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka
• Experts Review: TMT/IP
  • Czech Republic: The Cyber Resilience Act
  • Slovakia: Delays in NIS2 Implementation
  • Hungary: Cybersecurity Laws – The Saga Continues
  • Estonia: 5 Practical Steps to Prepare for the Artificial Intelligence Act
  • Poland: Text and Data Mining – An IP Perspective
  • Austria: Data Strategy – Data Act and Data Governance Act in Focus
  • Bulgaria: Key New Court Decisions in Bulgaria’s TMT Sector
  • Lithuania: Implementation of the NIS2 Directive
  • Greece: New European Legislation on Measures for a High Common Level of Cybersecurity Across the Union
  • Romania: Can AI-Generated Content Be Protected Under Copyright Law?
  • Croatia: Intellectual Property Infringements – A Look at the 2023 Report
  • Slovenia: A Renewed Legislative Focus on Strengthening the Public Use of Slovene
  • North Macedonia: Legal and Regulatory Challenges for 5G Technology
  • Moldova: Bad Faith Trademark Registrations – An Emerging Challenge for Foreign Investors
  • Kosovo: Using Binding Corporate Rules and Standard Contractual Clauses as Data Transfer Mechanisms

Stay abreast of the latest developments and legal news across CEE. Don’t miss any of the upcoming issues: register for a subscription to the CEE Legal Matters magazine now!

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

The CEE Legal Matters Comparative Legal Guide: Real Estate 2025 explores key legal and regulatory aspects of real estate across the region. Covering ownership rights, transactions, financing, taxation, commercial leases, and zoning regulations, the guide highlights recent market trends and legal developments. It provides essential insights for investors, legal professionals, and businesses navigating the CEE real estate landscape.

The guide can be accessed in electronic format here and in pdf format here.

The CEE Legal Matters Comparative Legal Guide: Real Estate 2025 includes:

• Real Estate in Albania – contributed by Kalo & Associates
• Real Estate in Bulgaria – contributed by Schoenherr
• Real Estate in Croatia – contributed by Ostermann & Partners
• Real Estate in the Czech Republic – contributed by PRK Partners
• Real Estate in Greece – contributed by AKL Law Firm
• Real Estate in Montenegro – contributed by Komnenic & Partners
• Real Estate in North Macedonia – contributed by Law Office Lazarov
• Real Estate in Romania – contributed by Bancila, Diaconu si Asociatii
• Real Estate in Slovakia – contributed by Ments
• Real Estate in Slovenia – contributed by Jadek & Pensa
• Real Estate in Ukraine – contributed by Avellum

We know, we know – January may be nearly over, but the year is just getting started, with new challenges, fresh opportunities, and a full calendar ahead! The first issue of CEE Legal Matters this year has landed just in time to keep you updated on everything shaping the CEE legal markets.

Subscribers should be receiving their hard copies in a week or two, but no need to wait for the mail to arrive: the online version of the magazine is already available here. With Market Spotlights on Ukraine and Montenegro and an Experts Review section on Banking/Finance, the January 11.12 issue includes:

• Guest Editorial: Lawyering in Greece – Opportunities, Challenges, and the Path Forward
• Across the Wire: Deals And Cases
• New Homes and Friends: On the Move
• The Buzz
  • Serbia’s Big Money Moves: A Buzz Interview with Nikola Sugaris of ZSP Advokati
  • A Challenging Year in Hungary: A Buzz Interview with Csaba Polgar of Pontes Budapest
  • Slovakia Trying To Consolidate Its Books: A Buzz Interview with Sona Hankova of CMS
  • Montenegro’s EU Journey: A Buzz Interview with Jelena Vujisic of Vujacic Law Office
  • Entrepreneurs’ Shift in Mentality in Romania: A Buzz Interview with Roxana Musoi of Radulescu Musoi
  • Navigating Uncertainty in Bulgaria: A Buzz Interview with Mitko Karushkov of Karushkov Legal Solutions
  • Slovenia’s Exciting Year Ahead: A Buzz Interview with Aleksandra Mitic of Kavcic, Bracun & Partners
  • Steady Sailing for Croatia: A Buzz Interview with Ana Novakovic Stipanicev of Kovacevic Prpic Simeunovic
  • A Rare Pessimism Level in Austria: A Buzz Interview with Markus Piuk of Schoenherr
• The Debrief: January 2025
• The Corner Office: 2024 in (Volume) Review
• Private Healthcare in CEE
• Looking In: Anders Fast of Baker McKenzie
• Market Spotlight: Ukraine
  • Shielding Investments: War-Risk Insurance in Ukraine
  • Market Snapshot: Ukraine
    • Ukraine’s Financial Market Resilience in 2024
    • Upcoming PPP Overhaul To Follow Industrial Parks Legal Framework
    • Agrarian Notes: A New Digital Tool for Attracting Financing in the Agricultural Sector
    • Ukrainian M&A Market Showing Signs of Recovery
  • Inside Insight: Natalia Lysa of Nestle
  • Know Your Lawyer: Igor Lozenko of Sayenko Kharenko
• Market Spotlight: Montenegro
  • Sunny Prospects: Montenegro’s Real Estate and Hospitality Sectors on Solid Ground
  • Market Snapshot: Montenegro
    • Real Estate in Montenegro – Balancing Between Public Revenue Growth and Investment Appeal
    • New Year, New Tax Adjustments: Montenegro’s 2025 Update
  • Inside Insight: Filip Knezevic of Vezuv
  • Know Your Lawyer: Luka Popovic of BDK Advokati
• Experts Review: Banking/Finance
  • Bulgaria: Security Over Shareholder Distributions – What’s New?
  • Moldova: The Role of Corporate Bonds in Unlocking the Country’s Capital Markets
  • Croatia: Physical Cash Pooling Arrangement or Loan Agreement?
  • Serbia: A New Hope – Reviving the Country’s Capital Market
  • Poland: Implementing the NPL Directive – Challenges and Opportunities
  • Slovenia: Financing Snapshot
  • Romania: New Rules on Interest Limitation for Non-Bank Financial Institutions and Loan Claim Assignments
  • Hungary: The (Scheduled) End of UBO Anonymity of Private Equity Funds in Hungary
  • Greece: Banking & Finance – A (Green) Sea of Opportunities?
  • Czech Republic: Cybersecurity and Financial Institutions in Light of DORA and NIS2
  • Turkiye: Non-Performing Loans – Regulatory Landscape and Industry Impact
  • Austria: Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) – Opportunities and Challenges
  • Lithuania: The Launch of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation
  • Latvia: Third-Party Assets Held by a Credit Institution in Cases of Insolvency
  • Ukraine: The Changing Landscape of Cross-Border Finance

With the January 2025 issue of the magazine now out, let’s remember what last year looked like: our November 2024 issue has now been moved from behind the paywall and been made available to subscribers and non-subscribers alike (here in e-reader format and here in pdf).

With Market Spotlights on Serbia and North Macedonia and an Experts Review section on Labor, the November issue included:

• Guest Editorial: Legal Services Market Trends in CEE
• Across the Wire: Deals And Cases
• New Homes and Friends: On the Move
• The Buzz
  • Money Comes Together in Slovenia: A Buzz Interview with Vid Kobe of Schoenherr
  • Living and Lobbying in Croatia: A Buzz Interview with Goran Ilej of Ilej & Partners
  • Trickle Down ESGonomics in Romania: A Buzz Interview with Ramona Cirlig of RC International Disputes
  • Montenegro’s Trust in Banks: A Buzz Interview with Milan Keker of KBP Legal
  • Optimistic Vibes in Serbia: A Buzz Interview with Miodrag Jevtic of Gecic Law
  • Bulgaria’s Chase of Shifting Targets: A Buzz Interview with Antonia Mavrova of Kinstellar
• The Debrief: November 2024
• The Corner Office: New Practice Development Strategy
• Deal Expanded: Aratiden – The Largest Renewable ESG Project in Bulgaria to Date
• Market Spotlight: Serbia
  • La Grande Nouvelle Du Jour: Serbia and France Sign Transformative Agreements
  • Market Snapshot: Serbia
    • New Legal Framework on the Horizon for Cybersecurity in Serbia
    • The Future of Finance in Serbia: How Legislative Changes in Payment Services, Banking, and Consumer Protection Will Impact the Market
    • What is Hindering the Growth of the Digital Asset Market in Serbia – Regulation or Fear of Uncertainty?
    • Serbia’s Renewable Energy Sector
    • The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Personal Data Protection: Challenges and Opportunities
    • Developments in Serbian Anti-trust Practice: A High-Profile Case Against Major Retailers
  • Know Your Lawyer: Slobodan Doklestic of Doklestic Repic & Gajin
• Market Spotlight: North Macedonia
  • Gambling: North Macedonia’s High-Stakes Industry
  • Governmental Reshuffle in North Macedonia: Streamlining for Growth
  • Market Snapshot: North Macedonia
    • Why is North Macedonia a Business Haven in Europe?
    • Legislative Reforms in North Macedonia: Aligning Capital Market Laws with EU Standards
    • North Macedonia’s PPP and Infrastructure Progress and Hurdles
  • Inside Insight: Interview with Emilija Evtimova-Spaseska of TAV Macedonia
  • Know Your Lawyer: Dragan Lazarov of Law Office Lazarov
• Experts Review: Labor
  • Digital Nomads in Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia
  • The AI Shift: How Technology is Redefining HR
  • Ukraine: Employee Incentives – Important Employment Law Considerations
  • Poland: Collusion in the Labour Market – Competition Authority Cracks Down on Anti-Competitive Practices
  • Romania: The Collective Dismissal Process – How It Operates and Its Legal Implications
  • Czech Republic: Equal Treatment of Employees in M&A Transactions in Light of Recent Case Law
  • Hungary: Lost Momentum? Tightened Rules on the Admission and Right of Residence of Third-Country Nationals
  • Austria: Mobile Working – New Legislation and Legal Pitfalls
  • Greece: Violence and Harassment in Workplaces – Overview of the Legal Framework
  • Serbia: Non-Compete Clauses Labor Law
  • Slovakia: Agreeing on and Withdrawing from Competition Clauses
  • Croatia: TUPE Regulations in Light of Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia’s Recent Practice
  • Lithuania: Navigating Remote Work Challenges
  • Moldova: Employee-Created IP Objects – Determining Ownership
  • Slovenia: Contractual Penalties in Employment Law
  • North Macedonia: The Role of Private Employment Agencies
  • Kosovo: Employee Rights in a Remote Work Context

Stay abreast of the latest developments and legal news, across CEE. Don’t miss any of the upcoming issues: register for a subscription to the CEE Legal Matters magazine now!

We’re excited to announce the shortlisted deals for the 2024 CEE Deals of the Year Awards, recognizing the largest and most important deals in Central and Eastern Europe!

The CEE Deals of the Year Awards have been granted since 2017 by CEE Legal Matters – the leading source of news and information about the lawyers and legal industry in Central and Eastern Europe – to celebrate the transactions, financings, IPOs, and other deals that underpin growth throughout the region, as well as the lawyers and law firms who make them happen.

The winners will be selected by a Final Selection Committee and announced at the annual CEE Deals of the Year Banquet scheduled for April 1, 2025, in Prague. More information about the awards and the banquet can be found here. We’re particularly excited that this year’s Gala Dinner will also host be attended by all the General Counsel attending the two-day 2025 CEELM Regional GC Summit – co-hosted by Slaughter and May and sponsored by Act Legal, Addleshaw Goddard, AMB Legal Group, Karanovic & Partners, Musat & Asociatii, Pontes, and PRK Partners.

The shortlists (available in full on the DOTY website here) are based on the Country Selection Committees’ votes on all the deals nominated across CEE The shortlist for each country is based on the votes of the Country Selection Committee jury members (a full list of those who gave us permission to announce them is below). The winners will be determined by a vote by the Regional Committee. A big thank you to all who took the time to evaluate all submissions and cast their vote:

• Andras Posztl, Country Managing Partner, DLA Piper
• Angelina Stoklosa, Partner, SK Legal
• Anisa Rrumbullaku, Partner, CR & Partners
• Armen Khachaturyan, Senior Partner, Asters Law
• Aron Laszlo, Partner, Oppenheim
• Arthur Braun, Managing Partner, BPV Braun Partners
• Besnik Duraj, Partner, CMS
• Biljana Joanidis, Partner, Joandis
• Christoph Mager, Managing Partner Austria, DLA Piper
• Christoph Nauer, Partner, BPV Huegel
• Csaba Polgar, Partner, Pontes
• Darko Jovanovic, Partner, Karanovic and Partners
• David Kiss, Partner, Ban S.Szabo Rauch
• Davorin Marinkovic, Partner, Dimitrijevic & Partners
• Ermo Kosk, Partner, Ellex
• Florian Klimscha, Partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
• Gatis Flinters, Partner, Cobalt
• Gergely Ban, Partner, Act Legal
• Gjorgji Georgievski, Partner, ODI Law
• Irena Georgieva, Managing Partner, PPG Lawyers
• Ivana Ruzicic, Managing Partner, PR Legal
• Jakub Adam, Partner, Taylor Wessing
• Jakub Zagrajek, Partner, Rymarz Zdort Maruta
• Jan Havel, Partner, Act Legal
• Jasmina Suljovic, Partner, BH Legal
• Jelena Vujisic, Partner, Vujacic Law Office
• Josip Marohnic, Partner, Marohnic, Tomek & Gjoic
• Katerina Mihalikova, Partner, Majernik & Mihalikova
• Kerem Turunc, Managing Partner, Turunc
• Klaus Pfeiffer, Partner, Weber & Co.
• Kristel Raidla Talur, Partner, Cobalt
• Laszlo Hajdu, Partner, HP Legal
• Luka Vukelic, Partner, Vukelic Law
• Luka Popovic, Senior Partner, BDK Advokati
• Lukasz Lyszczarek, Partner, Lewczuk Lyszczarek Szymczyk 
• Margarita Karpenko, Partner, Imagine Lawyers
• Marija Gregoric, Partner, Babic & Partners
• Marko Bohacek, Partner, BDV
• Marko Porobija, Managing Partner, Porobija & Spoljaric
• Martin Foerster, Founding Partner, Pitkowitz & Partners
• Masa Kramar, Partner, Senica & Partners
• Matjaz Ulcar, Partner, Cerha Hempel
• Metin Pektas, Partner, Nazali Tax & Legal
• Mia Civic, Partner, in cooperation with ODI Law
• Michal Pawlowski, Managing Partner, DWF
• Mika Lalaouni, Partner, Drakopoulos
• Milan Keker, Founding Partner, KBP Legal
• Milos Velimirovic, Managing Partner Belgrade Office, Kinstellar
• Mykola Stetsenko, Managing Partner, Avellum
• Nina Kuzik, Partner, Savoric & Partners
• Norbert Havrila, Partner, Legate
• Olena Kuchynska, Managing Partner Kyiv Office, Kinstellar
• Olexiy Soshenko, Managing Partner, Redcliffe Partners
• Pal Jalsovszky, Managing Partner, Jalsovszky
• Perry Zizzi, Managing Partner Bucharest Office, Dentons
• Petar Orlic, Partner, NKO Law
• Peter Daszkowski, Partner, Wolf Theiss
• Peter Kubina, Managing Partner Slovakia, Dentons
• Polona Bozicko, Partner, Zagorc & Partners
• Razvan Vlad, Partner, NNDKP
• Roger Gladei, Managing Partner, Gladei & Partners
• Rolan Jankelevitsh, Partner, Walless
• Ruta Armone, Partner, Ellex
• Sabina Lalaj, Partner, Lalaj & Partners
• Sebastian Gutiu, Office Managing Partner, Schoenherr
• Simon Bracun, Partner, Kavcic, Bracun & Partners
• Sintija Radionova, Partner, Walless
• Slobodan Kremenjak, Partner, Zivkovic Samardzic
• Stanislav Dvorak, Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
• Stojan Semiz, Managing Partner, ZSP Advokati
• Szabolcs Mestyan, Partner, Lakatos, Koves & Partners
• Taulant Hodaj, Partner, Hodaj & Partners
• Tomas Dolezil, Partner, JSK
• Urim Vokshi, Partner, Vokshi & Lata
• Yavor Kambourov, Managing Partner, Kambourov & Partners
• Zoran Draskovic, Partner, Hillbridges

All submissions for the CEE Deal of the Year Awards have been processed and voting ballots are with our country panel jurors. CEE Legal Matters received 325 submissions for the Deals of the Year Awards for 2024, covering 22 countries. 

Based on all these submissions, a total of 217 deals are eligible for one or (in some cases) multiple awards this year.

The full list of nominated deals is published here. The list was not included for jurisdictions with 3 or less eligible submissions (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Montenegro, and North Macedonia) as those are automatically shortlisted and will be announced on January 29. 

The winners of the 2024 Deals of the Year award in each country will be announced at the annual CEELM Deal of the Year Awards Banquet scheduled for April 1, 2025, in Prague. Early Bird Registration is now open for the awards banquet here.

The awards gala will be held, like it has for the past two years, in conjunction with the CEE General Counsel Summit, due to take place in Prague on April 1-2, 2025. We are thrilled to have the event benefit from the support of returning event partners Slaughter and May (as Chairman) and Act Legal, Addleshaw Goddard, Musat & Asociatii, Pontes, and PRK Partners, together with new event partners AMB Legal Group and Karanovic & Partners. This is the 7th edition of our regional GC Summit and you can find out more about the event here.

In the meantime, our thanks to everyone who submitted deals for consideration. We appreciate the time and effort you put into the process, and we – like you – are eager to see the results and celebrate the winners this spring in Prague. Good luck, one and all!

We may have taken our sweet time with this one – but isn’t that the spirit of the season? Fresh off the glittering CEE Winter Gala in Budapest – where lawyers traded legal briefs for cocktails and celebrated the highs of 2024 – the December issue of CEE Legal Matters is finally here! Whether you’re wrapping presents, baking gingerbread, or just catching your breath amid the holiday buzz, let’s dive into the stories shaping the CEE legal markets as we head into 2025!

With the December issue of the magazine to carry you over, the CEELM team is taking a short but sweet office shutdown collective break until January 6, 2025. During this well-earned respite, our publishing will be on hold. But don’t worry – we’ve got a neat little mountain of content lined up to keep you engaged while we’re away. It’s also the perfect time to revisit some of our past issues and reflect on what kind of a year it’s been (so far, at least). Rest assured, all the news that breaks during our hiatus will be covered with the same flair and care that the market knows us for as soon as we’re back in action. And don’t forget, the submission deadline for the Deal of the Year awards is shortly after the break – January 10, 2025!

Subscribers should be receiving their hard copies in a week or two, but no need to wait for the mail to arrive: the online version of the magazine is already available here. With Market Spotlights on Poland and Croatia and an Experts Review section on TMT/IP, the December 11.11 issue includes:

• Guest Editorial: Witnessing the Digital Transformation in CEE as an Attorney-at-Law (and More)
• Across the Wire: Deals And Cases
• New Homes and Friends: On the Move
• The Buzz
• All Serbian Eyes on Expo 2027: A Buzz Interview with Rastko Malisic of MMD Advokati
• Good Laws, Difficult Execution in Kosovo: A Buzz Interview with Shkumbin Asllani of Inlex
• Slower But Not Less Interesting Times in Romania: A Buzz Interview with Catalin Alexandru of Filip & Company
• Cultures Clash in Bulgaria: A Buzz Interview with Ventsislav Tomov of Schoenherr
• The Debrief: December 2024
• The Corner Office: Off The Partnership Track
• For the Love of the Game: CEE’s Gaming Sector
• Looking In: Kuif Klein Wassink of Dentons
• Market Spotlight: Poland
• Big Goals, Non-Negligeable Challenges: Poland’s Renewable Energy Push
• Market Snapshot: Poland
• Disclosure of Employee Termination Reasons to the Entire Workforce
• Latest Legislative Development in AI – Polish Government Wishes To Be Ahead of the Crowd This Time?
• The Rise of Short-Term and Early-Stage Finance in Poland’s RES Industry
• Inside Insight: Pawel Szczepaniak of mBank
• Know Your Lawyer: Bartosz Miszkurka of Solivan
• Market Spotlight: Croatia
• Croatia’s Upcoming Real Estate Tax Reform
• Who Are You Talking To? New Lobbying Law in Croatia
• Market Snapshot: Croatia
• Hydrocarbons Seeking their Place Under the Croatian Sun
• Future of the Legal Landscape for Crypto-Assets in Croatia
• Croatia’s M&A Landscape in 2024: Sustainability and Energy as Key Drivers
• Croatian Energy Laws: A Step Behind Entrepreneurial Ambitions?
• GDPR at Six: A Wake-Up Call That’s Still Being Snoozed
• Croatian Lawyers and Cybersecurity – Is It Time To Level Up?
• Inside Insight: Interview with Eva Kovacic of Belupo
• Know Your Lawyer: Damir Topic of Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka
• Experts Review: TMT/IP
• Czech Republic: The Cyber Resilience Act
• Slovakia: Delays in NIS2 Implementation
• Hungary: Cybersecurity Laws – The Saga Continues
• Estonia: 5 Practical Steps to Prepare for the Artificial Intelligence Act
• Poland: Text and Data Mining – An IP Perspective
• Austria: Data Strategy – Data Act and Data Governance Act in Focus
• Bulgaria: Key New Court Decisions in Bulgaria’s TMT Sector
• Lithuania: Implementation of the NIS2 Directive
• Greece: New European Legislation on Measures for a High Common Level of Cybersecurity Across the Union
• Romania: Can AI-Generated Content Be Protected Under Copyright Law?
• Croatia: Intellectual Property Infringements – A Look at the 2023 Report
• Slovenia: A Renewed Legislative Focus on Strengthening the Public Use of Slovene
• North Macedonia: Legal and Regulatory Challenges for 5G Technology
• Moldova: Bad Faith Trademark Registrations – An Emerging Challenge for Foreign Investors
• Kosovo: Using Binding Corporate Rules and Standard Contractual Clauses as Data Transfer Mechanisms 

With the December 2024 issue of the magazine now out, let’s remember what autumn looked like this year: our October 2024 issue has now been moved from behind the paywall and been made available to subscribers and non-subscribers alike (here in e-reader format and here in pdf). With a Market Spotlight on Turkiye and an Experts Review section on Tax, the October issue included:

• Guest Editorial: Dispute Trends in 2024
• Across the Wire: Deals And Cases
• New Homes and Friends: On the Move
• The Buzz
• Incredibly Complicated Politics in Bulgaria: A Buzz Interview with Dafinka Stoycheva of Gugushev & Partners
• Building Up eHungary: A Buzz Interview with Orsolya Kovacs of Nagy es Trocsanyi
• Self-Employed or Employed in Slovakia: A Buzz Interview with Erik Schwarcz of Fairsquare
• A Robust Deals Pipeline in Austria: A Buzz Interview with Florian Kusznier of Wolf Theiss
• The Czech Republic Checks In on Consumers: A Buzz Interview with Ladislav Smejkal of Dentons
• Ukraine Is Looking In: A Buzz Interview with Vyacheslav Korchev of Integrites
• Latvia’s Picking up Speed: A Buzz Interview with Ilga Gudrenika-Krebs of Ellex
• Slow to Address Romania’s Healthcare Ills: A Buzz Interview with Dominic Morega of Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii
• Energizing Estonia (and Its Defense Budget): A Buzz Interview with Triinu Hiob of Njord
• Moldova’s Changing Into EU Gears: A Buzz Interview with Ilona Panurco of PwC Moldova
• The Debrief: October 2024
• The People Puzzle: Labor Shortages on the Rise in CEE
• The Corner Office: Conference, Anyone?
• Agribusiness: Old Strength, New Challenges, and Hopes for the Future
• Albania Is Rolling the Dice on Gambling
• Market Spotlight: Turkiye
• IPOs Going Strong in Turkiye: Economic Growth or a Misleading Indicator?
• A Balancing Act: From EU Discontent to BRICS Aspirations
• Market Snapshot: Turkiye
• Data Protection in Turkiye
• Renewable Energy in Turkiye
• Know Your Lawyer: Emre Atayilmaz of AECO Law
• Experts Review: Tax
• Austria: (Partial) Suspension of the Double Taxation Agreement with Russia – Implications for Taxpayers
• Serbia: Temporary Tax Decisions – Will the Tax Administration’s Practice Change in 2024?
• Hungary: Accommodation Services in Tax Spotlight
• Croatia: New Round of Changes to Tax Rules in 2024
• Lithuania: Tax Increases to Fund National Defense
• Estonia: Navigating the Taxation of Debt Pushdown Structures
• Slovenia: Navigating the Complexities of Share Buybacks – A Tax Perspective
• North Macedonia: How the Reduction of the Corporate Tax Rate from 10% to 5% Will Affect Foreign Investments in North Macedonia?
• Romania: A New Tax Regime for Large Companies – A Big Challenge for Investors
• Turkiye: Recent Tax Developments – Moving Toward a Stringent Tax Regime for Transfer of Immovables
• Czech Republic: Current Specifics of Taxation of Foreign Corporations

Stay abreast of the latest developments and legal news, across CEE. Don’t miss any of the upcoming issues: register for a subscription to the CEE Legal Matters magazine now!