Following a tumultuous year marked by the ongoing conflict in the region and rising financing expenses, we reached out to experts across CEE to gain a deeper understanding of the real estate landscape, including key factors driving the industry and the primary obstacles it faces.

Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka has advised Germany's Possehl Digital on its acquisition of a minority stake in Croatian Osijek-based IT company Mono.

Savoric & Partners has advised Biochem Polska on its acquisition of Croatian wholesale medical equipment distributor Kvantum-Tim. Bradvica Maric Wahl Cesarec advised an unidentified private individual on the sale.

Contributed by Savoric & Partners.

Savoric & Partners has advised Hrvatski Telekom on its renewable-source virtual power purchase agreement ten-year partnership with Liburana. Kovacevic, Prpic, Simeunovic advised Liburana.

Wolf Theiss has advised Germany-based logistics specialist Rhenus Group on its acquisition of Croatian logistics provider Trans Integral.

Squire Patton Boggs has successfully represented the Republic of Croatia before an International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes tribunal against a EUR 200 million claim brought by Marko Mihaljevic.

Ilej & Partners in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners has advised the mandated lead arrangers on the restructuring of facilities granted for the Istrian Y motorway concession project.

Contributed by Deloitte Legal.

Despite the challenges, Croatia’s M&A market appears to hold promise in 2023 – particularly in the retail, IT, and renewables sectors – according to Ostermann & Partners Managing Partner Mojmir Ostermann.

BDK Advokati has advised Integrator majority shareholder Aleksandar Hangiman on the sale of the company to Meritus. Mamic Peric Reberski Rimac reportedly advised Meritus.

CMS has advised Best in Parking and its majority shareholder Breiteneder Immobilien Parking on receiving a minority investment from Macquarie Asset Management. Linklaters advised Macquarie Asset Management.

On April 28, 2023, CMS announced that PPD and INA’s sale of TMF – the largest shareholder of Croatian fertilizer company Petrokemija – to the Yildirim Group (reported by CEE Legal Matters on November 22, 2022), had closed.

Ketler & Partners, a member of Karanovic, and Ilej & Partners in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners have advised the Volution Group on its acquisition of I-Vent in Slovenia and Croatia for EUR 25.2 million on a debt-free cash-free basis from Milan Kuster. Zagorc & Partners advised Kuster on the sale.

Ilej & Partners in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners has advised ALS on its acquisition of Hidro.Lab.

Kinstellar and ODI Law, working with Morgan Lewis London, have advised TAWAL on its bid to acquire the Bulgarian, Croatian, and Slovenian tower assets of the United Group for EUR 1.2 billion. Jadek and Pensa and Bradvica, Maric, Wahl, Cesarec advised the United Group. Paul Weiss and Kambourov and Partners reportedly advised United as well.

On April 28, 2023, CEE Legal Matters reported that Tarja Krehic had left the Deloitte Legal network to set up a new law firm in Zagreb. We spoke with Krehic shortly afterward to learn more about the concluded cooperation, the intricacies of her new agenda, and the plans for her firm going forward.

Tarja Krehic of Krehic & Partners has left the Deloitte Legal Network to set up Law Office Krehic in Zagreb.