CMS has successfully defended renewable energy client Astronergy (part of the Chinese energy group Chint) against a commercial claim brought by a former developer over the acquisition of the photovoltaic plant Cherveniakovo-4MWp in Bulgaria.

DGKV’s real estate team has advised NEPI Rockcastle on the September 21, 2017 acquisition by its subsidiary NEPI Project Two EOOD of Bulfeld EOOD — the owner of the Paradise Center shopping center in Sofia — from Bul Dom OOD. Penkov, Markov & Partners advised the sellers on the deal, which remains subject to approval of the Bulgarian competition watchdog.

Kinstellar’s Sofia antitrust team has advised the Linxens Group on the merger filing leading to the eventual approval by the Bulgarian Commission on Protection of Competition of its acquisition of the SIT Division of the Smartrac Group and on the antitrust aspects of the implementation of the deal.

Bulgaria's Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. has joined the SELA law firm alliance.

In The Corner Office, we invite Senior and Managing Partners at law firms from across the region to share information about their careers, management styles, and strategies. For this issue, we asked them to describe their least favorite part of their jobs. 

CMS has advised Axel Johnson International, a privately owned Swedish industrial group that is part of Axel Johnson, a prominent Nordic trading group, on its acquisition of a majority stake in the IOW Group, which has a presence in Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic countries. The sellers were reportedly advised by DLA Piper.

4th and 5th of October 2017 in Casablanca, Morocco

Kambourov & Partners has successfully represented Iberdrola Inmobilaria before the the European Court of Justice in a case involving the general rules for deduction of VAT credit in cases of investment in public infrastructure.

Kinstellar has advised a consortium consisting of Hungary’s OTP Bank PLC, its Bulgarian subsidiary, DSK Bank, and Eurobank Bulgaria on a EUR 133 million senior loan facility to Business Park Sofia to be used for debt restructuring and the construction of a new office building.

Employment relationships require special protection both at European and national levels. Although largely enshrined in European legislation, those protections remain subject to modifications to ensure efficiency and security of the employment process. 

DGKV has advised AP Investments AD on the sale of 50% of Mall Galleria Varna to the Serbian-based Delta Real Estate DOO and the Cyprus-based Astatine Holdings Limited. The buyers were advised by Deloitte Legal on the deal, which closed on August 18, 2017. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

"Lawyers feel the pulse of the economy,” says George Dimitrov, the Managing Partner of Bulgaria’s Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. law firm, "so if lawyers have work that means things are going well in business.” Accordingly, Dimitrov’s assertion about his firm that, “we have lots of work and we’re expanding our team” can only be a good sign for Bulgaria.

DGKV has successfully represented the interests of CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria AD in several cases before Bulgaria's Commission for Protection against Discrimination.

DGKV acted for a consortium consisting of German engineering consultancy companies CDM Smith Consult GmbH, Fichtner GmbH & Co KG, and C&E Consulting und Engineering GmbH in arbitration proceedings before the Arbitration Court at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce against the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters.

Arcliffe has been appointed by Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze to assist the company on labor law-related matters in various CEE jurisdictions.

Wolf Theiss has advised private equity investor Kohlberg & Company on its purchase of the winter sport division of Newell Brands. The signing took place on May 25, 2017, and the deal closed on July 14, 2017.

In general the protection of intellectual property rights over products related to or originating in a defined geographical area is based on the legal concept of a “geographical indication.” According to both legal theory and practice a geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation related to that origin.

Schoenherr has advised Bulgarian Eagle airlines, the ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) carrier recently founded by the Germania Group, on its expansion into Bulgaria and on obtaining an official air operator certificate from the Bulgarian authorities, which allows the airline to use aircraft for commercial purposes. After all the necessary licenses were issued and a demonstration flight was successfully completed, the Bulgarian aviation authority cleared the new airline for take-off.