Thanks to its qualities - environmental friendliness and a wide range of applications, hydrogen occupies an increasingly central place as an energy carrier. Focus on its use, and in particular on the use of green hydrogen, is also placed at European Union (“EU”) level, where in a number of acts, it is considered an important factor for decarbonization, fulfillment of the global goals of the Paris Agreement and achievement of carbon neutrality until 2050. The reason is that both hydrogen and electricity can be generated from greenhouse gas neutral sources addressing climate change and air quality issues. To deploy green hydrogen and turn it into a viable solution to decarbonize, a lot of investments and a favorable regulatory framework are required.

Even with elections coming up soon for Bulgaria, there are still plenty of interesting topics to report on, including a vibrant deal market and an active energy sector, according to CMS Partner Elitsa Ivanova.

CMS has advised Vier Gas Transport on its successful participation in a tender for selecting a consultant for monitoring and control of the implementation of a commercial dispatcher center for the Interconnection Greece-Bulgaria project held by ICGB AD.

Imagine receiving a letter that your real estate located in Bulgaria will, in fact, “change” its location within the neighborhood. This can come up as a shock to any international investor in Bulgaria. Such companies might wish to finance certain entrepreneurial construction activity in Bulgaria, and therefore, acquire one or more plots of land. This sort of legal conundrum is indeed possible in Bulgaria and this article will look into its intricacies.

Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov has successfully represented the interests of KTB shareholders before the European Court of Human Rights in a dispute regarding their right to appeal the bank's license revocation. 

Kinstellar has advised 52 Entertainment on the acquisition of Bulgarian game developer Casualino. Tzvetkova & Partners advised Casualino on the sale.

Contributed by Tsvetkova Bebov & Partners, member of Eversheds Sutherland.

Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov has advised a consortium of investors led by Integral Venture Partners on the acquisition of a 76% stake in Sirma AI, trading as Ontotext. Popov, Arnaudov and Partners reportedly advised Sirma Group Holding, Sirma Solutions, and Ontotext on the sale.

Dentons has advised a syndicate of banks led by Ceska Sporitelna, and including Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka and Komercni Banka, on the financing of KKCG Group and Aricoma Group’s acquisition of Musala Soft. Polenak, Boyanov & Co, and, reportedly, Andric and TM & Partners advised the banks as well. Clifford Chance advised Aricoma Group on the deal.

Bernitsas has advised Delta Foods SMSA on the sale of its wholly owned Bulgarian subsidiary United Milk Company EAD to Tyrbul EAD. 

Hosted by Penkov, Markov & Partners, nine lawyers from Bulgaria – six working in-house and three in private practice – sat down for a round table conversation to discuss the EU Whistleblowing Directive and how it will impact companies in the country.

The sixth package of European Union sanctions imposed on Russia is a widely discussed topic, yet the overall levels of preparedness to adopt the associated energy import ban varies from one country to another. Indeed, with Russian oil and gas exports being such a dominant source of energy for a number of European countries, it remains to be seen how all of them adapt to the change. To gain insight into how certain EU member states and non-EU countries are (likely) to fare in the immediate wake of the ban, we reached out to legal professionals from Turkey, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Moldova.

A combination of policy support for and decreasing investment costs in renewables, the nuclear energy revival, and major nearby discoveries of natural gas in the Black Sea leads to the unprecedented interest of investors in Bulgaria.

Boyanov & Co has advised Yara International on the sale of Bulgarian and Romanian businesses Yara Bulgaria and Yara Digital Romania to the Nik Group. Wolf Theiss advised the buyer.

Schoenherr, working with Mannheimer Swartling, has advised Alfa Laval Corporate on its acquisition of Scanjet Systems.

PPG Lawyers has successfully represented Copa Isi Sistemleri San. ve Tic. in unfair competition proceedings before the Bulgarian Competition Protection Commission and the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria.

Gugushev & Partners has advised Helios Energy Invest on its EUR 65 million acquisition of Helios Projects from H1 Venture Swiss Holding. Djingov Gouginski Kyutchukov & Velichkov advised the seller. Spasov & Bratanov advised China Development Bank as the project finance lender.

On August 25, 2022, Boyanov & Co announced that Mondelez International's acquisition of Chipita S.A. (reported by CEE Legal Matters on June 1, 2021) had closed.