Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii has advised RI-GD Investments DAC on the accession of two Romanian subsidiaries of an Irish agribusiness group to a EUR 30 million financing.

Dentons has advised CEE Equity Partners on an agreement with the Brise Group for the investment, modernization, and development of the first open access agriculture infrastructure platform, based on 15-grain silos and logistic hubs in Romania. Kinstellar advised Brise on the deal.

Avellum has advised Kernel Holding S.A. on the acquisition of 100% of shares in Rail Transit Kargo Ukraine. Based on the enterprise value, the deal is worth USD 64 million.

Sayenko Kharenko has represented the interests of Kyivguma LLC, a Ukrainian producer of rubber caps for medical purposes, in an anti-dumping investigation related to imports of rubber caps originating in Poland and China for medical purposes.

MPR Partners | Maravela, Popescu & Roman has been retained to provide legal assistance to Air France and KLM in Romania.

CMS had advised international metal automotive components manufacturer Gestamp on issues related to the inauguration of a new plant specializing in aluminum in Nitra, western Slovakia.

The Tirana office of Wolf Theiss has advised the European Investment Fund on its EUR 25 million loan to Albania's Alpha Bank.

The Polenak Law Firm has advised the EBRD on its EUR 5 million loan to SME Aktiva, including transaction advice and security documentation in North Macedonia.

Paksoy has advised Turkiye Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi on a USD 177 million syndicated loan from a syndicate of twelve banks from various countries.

White & Case has advised the National Bank of Greece on the financing of Elsewedy Electric's acquisition of a portfolio of five windfarms and two hydroelectric plants in Greece from the RF Energy Feidakis Group. The Lambadarios Law Firm advised Elsewedy both on the financing and on the underlying acquisition, and Watson, Farley & Williams reportedly advised the RF Energy Feidakis Group on the sale.

White & Case has advised Ceske Drahy, a.s., the Czech national railway transport operator, on its issuance of EUR 500 million 1.5% notes due 2026 and their admission to trading on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Clifford Chance reportedly advised joint global coordinators and bookrunners Citigroup and Erste Group Bank AG and joint bookrunner ING.

Gide has advised KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. on its issuance of two series of bonds, with a maturity of five and ten years respectively, for a total amount of PLN 2 billion (approximately EUR 471 million).

Sayenko Kharenko has represented the interests of Kyivguma LLC, a Ukrainian producer of rubber caps for medical purposes, in an anti-dumping investigation related to imports of rubber caps originating in Poland and China for medical purposes.

Mari Matjus has been promoted from Associate Partner to Partner at the Nove law firm in Estonia.

Maric & Co has successfully prepared a joint notification of concentration between South Korea's LG Electronics Inc, and its client Lufthansa Technik AG and filed it to the Bosnian Competition Council.

Sayenko Kharenko has advised Huhtamaki Foodservice Ukraine, a subsidiary of Huhtamaki Oyj, the world’s largest packaging manufacturer for foodservice, regarding the launch of production in Ukraine.

Schoenherr, working with SafeReach, has launched the Dawn Raid App – a legal tech solution for clients to ensure a controlled process in the event of a dawn raid.

Cobalt has analyzed the compliance of activities of AS Eesti Teed with the rules on state aid in Estonia.

CMS has advised Polish private equity firm Innova Capital on its acquisition of Romania's Optical Network. Popovici Nitu Stoica & Associati advised the Optical Network.

The Warsaw office of Linklaters has advised DYWIDAG-Systems International on its acquisition of PARTEC System from its founder 100% shareholder, and CEO Krzysztof Kotarba, who was advised by Compliance Partners.

The Prague office of CEE Attorneys has advised the AGS Group on the establishment of a joint venture with Sputnik.CZ s.r.o. which will operate as MMS Digital a.s.

On June 20, 2019, the Dentons, CMS, and Everlegal law firms, working with global accounting network Baker Tilly and Ukraine's IKNET, which implements, manages, and guides investment projects in the energy industry, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to create GetMarket, an open online platform for green projects.

Ilyashev & Partners has successfully represented British company JKX Oil & Gas PLC before the Kyiv Court of Appeal in its claim to have an award of over USD 12 million. from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in London recognized and enforced in Ukraine.

White & Case has advised the National Bank of Greece on the financing of Elsewedy Electric's acquisition of a portfolio of five windfarms and two hydroelectric plants in Greece from the RF Energy Feidakis Group. The Lambadarios Law Firm advised Elsewedy both on the financing and on the underlying acquisition, and Watson, Farley & Williams reportedly advised the RF Energy Feidakis Group on the sale.

Avellum has successfully represented a UK citizen in Ukraine's Supreme Court in a dispute regarding the return of a wrongfully retained child.

Soltysinski Kawecki Szlezak successfully represented pro bono Stowarzyszenie Twoja Sprawa ("Your Case Association") in a case brought against the producer of Devil Energy Drink.

The European Commission has just published its comprehensive proposal for the so-called "New Deal for Consumers", which aims to strengthen EU consumer rights and enforcement. This includes the proposal for a new Directive enabling certain qualified entities to seek redress on behalf of consumers who have been harmed by an unlawful commercial practice.

Weinhold Legal has assisted Lagardere Travel Retail, a global operator of duty free shops, on its successful bid to become the operator of duty free shops at Prague's Vaclav Havel airport.

White & Case has advised Ceske Drahy, a.s., the Czech national railway transport operator, on its issuance of EUR 500 million 1.5% notes due 2026 and their admission to trading on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Clifford Chance reportedly advised joint global coordinators and bookrunners Citigroup and Erste Group Bank AG and joint bookrunner ING.

Nove has successfully represented PKM Grupp OU in a road construction dispute before the Estonian Supreme Court.

Clifford Chance and Bernitsas have advised MediaMarktSaturn on the restructuring of its Greek operations and the establishment of a joint venture with the Olympia Group to cover the Greek and Cypriot markets. Papadimitriou – Pimblis & Partners reportedly advised Olympia on the deal, which remains subject to approval from the relevant competition authorities.

Vassilev & Partners has expanded its services by providing advice to companies in financial difficulty, as well as those that have been declared insolvent and those experiencing difficulty collecting receivables from insolvent debtors.

Wardynski & Partners has advised the largest bondholders of series D and F bonds issued by OT Logistics S.A. that are listed on Catalyst regarding the issuance of series H refinancing bonds. Clifford Chance reportedly advised OT Logistics and White & Case reportedly advised the banks on the issuance.

Sorainen has successfully represented the insolvent credit union Taupkase (under the administration of Klaipedos Administratoriu Biuras) in a dispute with employees over the amount of downtime pay and termination compensation they are due.

In June, Tomas Prochazka was appointed Partner at Eversheds Sutherland in the Czech Republic and head of the office's Labor Law team.

Former Dentons Managing Counsel Agnieszka Fedor has moved to a Partner position at Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak. Fedor will lead the Labor practice of SK&S's Warsaw office.

Nove has advised Futurma OU on its sale of 100% shareholding in Mercurio OU to OneMed OU in Estonia. PwC Legal advised OneMed on the acquisition.

Mari Matjus has been promoted from Associate Partner to Partner at the Nove law firm in Estonia.

Walless has advised Affidea on the acquisition of UAB Medicinos Paslaugu Grupe from the LitCapital I KUB fund. TGS Baltic advised the sellers.

Ilyashev & Partners has successfully represented British company JKX Oil & Gas PLC before the Kyiv Court of Appeal in its claim to have an award of over USD 12 million. from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in London recognized and enforced in Ukraine.

Reff & Associates, the law firm representing Deloitte Legal in Romania, has promoted litigation specialist Cristi Secrieru to Partner.

Sorainen has successfully represented the insolvent credit union Taupkase (under the administration of Klaipedos Administratoriu Biuras) in a dispute with employees over the amount of downtime pay and termination compensation they are due.

Weinhold Legal has assisted Lagardere Travel Retail, a global operator of duty free shops, on its successful bid to become the operator of duty free shops at Prague's Vaclav Havel airport.

White & Case has advised Ceske Drahy, a.s., the Czech national railway transport operator, on its issuance of EUR 500 million 1.5% notes due 2026 and their admission to trading on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Clifford Chance reportedly advised joint global coordinators and bookrunners Citigroup and Erste Group Bank AG and joint bookrunner ING.

Ellex Valiunas has advised US private equity company Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Company, HKW, and its affiliated company Xirgo Technologies on their acquisition of a 100% stake in Baltic Car Equipment, a Lithuanian company which manufactures electronic equipment and develops IT solutions for transport and agricultural machinery.

Alrud has advised the VTB Group on its RUB 36 billion acquisition of 100% shares in Novorossiysk Grain Terminal LCC from the NSCP Group.

Leadell has successfully represented construction company OU Monoliit and Monolit's board member Jaak Reinmets in a criminal proceeding involving accusations of benefit fraud.

Dentons has advised The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank on its extension of a USD 69 million loan to the Russian State Transport Leasing Company to finance the construction of the Lavna Coal Transshipment Terminal at the Murmansk sea port. Allen & Overy reportedly advised the borrowers.

The Turunc Law Firm has advised Vinci Venture Capital on its equity investment in smart clothing company Thread in Motion. The Gemicioglu law firm represented Thread in Motion on the investment round, in which StartersHub and various angel investors participated. The amount of Vinci's investment was not disclosed.

Motieka & Audzevicius has assisted 70 Ventures, UAV, with the preparation of its investment funds using the Accelerator Fund of Lithuania's Ministry of Economy and Innovation.

The Bratislava branch of Glatzova & Co has advised Czech investment group DRFG on its acquisition of a majority stake in FibreNet, s.r.o. BBH Slovakia reportedly advised FibreNet on the sale. 

Dentons Prague is providing pro bono assistance to the Eduzmena Endowment Fund regarding its establishment and rules of operation.

Integrites is providing pro bono legal advice to the Lifelover charitable foundation, which organizes leisure and recreational activities for senior citizens and provides assistance.

Taylor Wessing is reporting that it provided Slovakian president-elect Zuzana Caputova and her team with legal advice on contractual matters and opinions and advice on the operative agenda connected with her successful campaign for President.

Sayenko Kharenko has advised Huhtamaki Foodservice Ukraine, a subsidiary of Huhtamaki Oyj, the world’s largest packaging manufacturer for foodservice, regarding the launch of production in Ukraine.

Kubas Kos Glkowski has advised Sabre Polska on its lease of approximately 16 thousand square meters of office space in the Tischnera Office building in Krakow, Poland, from the Cavatina Group.

RTPR Allen & Overy has advised ING Tech, a global software development hub of the ING Group, on the lease of 13,000 square meters of office space in the Dacia One building in Bucharest from the Atenor Group for its new headquarters. The Albota law firm advised the Atenor Group on the deal.

60, 59, 58, 55… this is how the number of taxes has changed in Hungary over the past 4 years. The trend is certainly encouraging, but behind the figures there are some more complex phenomena at play.

The deductibility of the VAT content of incoming invoices has long been a source of consternation both for equity investors and for the holding companies heading up corporate groups. In a relaxation of the general ban on VAT deduction in these cases, the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) has given ‘active’ holding companies a way around the restrictions. Meanwhile, other recent judgments by the Court have further expanded the opportunities for VAT deduction. Nevertheless, the ECJ’s decisions also show that it’s better to err on the side of caution.

Zieba & Partners has advised Echo Investment on an unspecified real estate acquisition in the center of Poznan for the purposes of a residential development.

Mari Matjus has been promoted from Associate Partner to Partner at the Nove law firm in Estonia.

The Turunc Law Firm has advised Vinci Venture Capital on its equity investment in smart clothing company Thread in Motion. The Gemicioglu law firm represented Thread in Motion on the investment round, in which StartersHub and various angel investors participated. The amount of Vinci's investment was not disclosed.

The team of the intellectual property practice of INTEGRITES prepared a compilation of relevant news in the field of protection of IP rights for the second quarter of 2019.

Jan Rysinski has been promoted to partner at Laszczuk & Partners in Poland.

Rokas Daugela and Mindaugas Bliuvas have been promoted to Partner and Eva Suduiko and Arturas Kojala have been promoted to Associate Partner at Cobalt in Lithuania.

Former Kinstellar Partner Jitka Logesova has joined Wolf Theiss as Partner to head the firm’s newly established Corporate Investigations Practice in Prague, which will serve as a hub for the entire CEE/SEE region.