Did You Know that a total of 15 partners have worked on multiple reported Hungarian Banking/Finance client matters in the ten years that CEE Legal Matters has been covering the market? The Banking/Finance leaderboard over the past decade is led by CMS Budapest Partner Erika Papp, who has worked on 14 reported Banking/Finance client matters in that time.

Kinstellar has advised the founders of Czech crowdfunding platform Roier on an investment from Jan Blasko and Jiri Wallenfels. Finreg Partners advised the investors.

Lakatos Koves & Partners, working with Clifford Chance, has advised Hungary's Eximbank Zrt on its USD 1.25 billion offering of 6.125% notes due 2027. Kinstellar, working with Latham & Watkins, advised the joint lead managers.

Kinstellar, working with Winston & Strawn, has advised Tempo Software on its agreement to acquire Old Street Solutions brand operator Amovos.

Kinstellar has advised Rheinmetall on executing a cooperation agreement with Ukrainian state-owned defense industry concern Ukroboronprom.

May 2023 – As May 2023 marks the fifth anniversary of the implementation of GDPR, we have prepared an overview of the five years of regulatory struggle in Romania since the regulation came into effect. By examining the value of the sanctions and the types of violations, we can identify some regulatory trends of the local practice.

Former Guner Law Office Partner Omer Erdogan has joined Kinstellar Turkish affiliate Gen & Temizer Ozer as a Partner in Istanbul.

A rather busy M&A market in the Czech Republic – with the IT, industrial, and energy sectors spearheading economic bustle – will soon face important legislative updates regarding the tax system and labor regulations, according to Kinstellar Partner Karla Rundtova.

Kinstellar has advised S IMMO on its acquisition of three office buildings and a hotel in the Czech Republic – valued at EUR 167.7 million – from the CPI Property Group.

April 2023 – On 12 April 2023, the Turkish Competition Authority (“Authority”) announced that it initiated a sector inquiry into mobile ecosystems. The sector inquiry aims to identify the possible competitive and anti-competitive effects caused by mobile ecosystems, develop effective policies based on them, and ultimately establish a competitive market in the digital economy.

Seven Kinstellar lawyers have been promoted to Partner: Bratislava-based Tomas Melisek, Budapest-based Levente Hegedus, Istanbul-based Bulut Girgin, and Kyiv-based Anastasiya Bolkhovitinova, Natalia Kirichenko, Oleg Matiusha, and Illya Muchnyk.

Kinstellar has advised Cura Vermoegensverwaltung on its exit from the Arkady Pankrac-ownership joint venture with G City Europe. Clifford Chance reportedly advised G City Europe.

Kinstellar, working with Linklaters, has advised a syndicate of banks on a EUR 500 million senior facility agreement with Romanian telecommunications service provider RCS & RDS. Filip & Company advised RCS & RDS.

Kinstellar, working with Advant NCTM, has advised the Italian owner on the sale of Hotel Sovereign in Prague.

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.

April 2023 – On 7 April 2023, the Turkish Competition Authority (“Authority”) published its Preliminary Report prepared within the scope of the “Online Advertising Sector Inquiry” (“Report”) that it initiated on 21 January 2021.

April 2023 – An amendment to Act no. 283/2021, Building Act (the “New Building Act”) has been approved by the Chamber of Deputies, bringing key changes to Czech construction laws and permitting processes (the “New Amendment”). The New Amendment has been passed to the Senate, which should approve it shortly. The original New Building Act, representing a major change of Czech building regulations, was adopted back in July 2021.

April 2023 – Early 2023 is shedding light on how to implement the numerous changes to Romanian labour law that occurred during 2022. In addition, at the EU level, a new directive which is set to come into force provides for equal pay for women and men.