Dentons has appointed Petr Zakoucky as Czech Republic Managing Partner, replacing outgoing MP Michal Hink, who is leaving Dentons to become Investment General Counsel at the Heimstaden real estate company.

CMS has advised a consortium of Vinci and Meridiam on its public-private partnership contract for the construction of the D4 motorway in the Czech Republic, the country’s first road PPP. Vinci and Meridiam each have a 50% stake in the project, and EUR 474 million of financing has been obtained.

Weinhold Legal, working alongside global counsel Kirkland & Ellis, has advised Lionbridge AI on the Czech legal aspects of its USD 935 million sale to Canadian telecom company Telus. Shearman & Sterling was global counsel to Telus.

Havel & Partners, acting on behalf of T-Mobile Czech Republic, has persuaded the Regional Court in Brno to annul a decision of the Czech Competition Authority regarding T-Mobile Czech Republic's entrance into interconnection agreements with other mobile operators.

Clifford Chance has advised the Film Servis Festival Karlovy Vary, which organizes the Czech Republic's annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, on a strategic investment into the entity by the Rockaway Capital Group.

On June 10th, 2020, the so-called big conceptual amendment to the Labor Code was passed. The amendment transposes European law (the directive concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services) into the Czech legal order, primarily aiming at facilitating the establishment of employment relationships. One of the major changes introduced by the amendment, which will affect virtually every employee, with effect from 1.1.2021, is the new leave entitlement concept. This concept of leave calculation in the future should be fairer on employees, especially on those whose working hours are unevenly scheduled into shifts.

Schoenherr has advised Ventus LLC and Sky Logistica on the acquisition of Skyport, a cargo operator based in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, from the Czechoslovak Group, a.s.. In a parallel transaction, Schoenherr also advised Elite Partners Capital on the acquisition of the Skyport RE cargo property company from the Czechoslovak Group. Dentons advised the Czechoslovak Group on the parallel deals.

Allen & Overy has advised Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited on the acquisition of Ceske Radiokomunikace a.s., a telecommunications, media, and technology infrastructure and services provider in the Czech Republic, from funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management. White & Case reportedly advised the sellers on the deal.

As of January 1, 2022, a deposit system for disposable beverage packaging will be introduced in Slovakia. Some disposable beverage packaging manufacturers and distributors will therefore have new obligations.

Schoenherr has advised Twisto FinCo s.r.o. and Twisto payments a.s. on its EUR 25 million debt refinancing, including a senior stream provided by J&T Banka of approximately EUR 17.3 million and a mezzanine stream provided jointly by Orbit Capital and Growth Finance of approximately EUR 7.7 million. Kocian Solc Balastik represented J&T Banka and CMS advised Orbit Capital and Growth Finance.

HKR, working in cooperation with solo practitioner Adam Zitek, has successfully represented the interests of the City of Brno in a dispute over the substantive nature of purpose-built roads on land adjacent to the Luzanky football stadium. 

As last year’s upheavals continue to influence finance markets in 2021, Erika Papp, CMS’s Head of Finance CEE/CIS, and CMS’s Regional Finance Partners Paul Stallebrass in Prague, Ana Radnev in Bucharest, and Elitsa Ivanova in Sofia offer their perspectives on what this year might hold for financing in CEE.

The Chamber of Deputies is currently discussing at first reading a bill on the protection of whistleblowers. This act should implement the European directive on whistleblowing, and should therefore become effective within the implementation period, i.e. no later than 17 December 2021.

Glatzova & Co. has advised the Purpose Ventures SE fund on its investment in Accomango.

The Prague office of White & Case has helped Ceske Drahy secure a loan of up to CZK 2.6 billion from Raiffeisenbank. Allen & Overy advised the lender on the deal.

Staidl Leska Advokati has successfully defended Czech translator Pavel Dominik’s right to use the Czech version of the title of Oscar Wilde’s play “The Importance of Being Earnest,” originally translated by J.Z.Novak.

Eversheds Sutherland has provided pro bono legal advice to Nadacni Fond Dum Ronalda McDonalda on contractual documentation related to the start of construction of the first Ronald McDonald House in the Czech Republic.

Havel & Partners advised Hyundai Motor Czech s.r.o. on its entrance into financing agreements with Essox s.r.o. related to the importation and distribution of Hyundai vehicles in the Czech Republic.