On 4 October 2022, the Slovak parliament adopted an amendment to the Labour Code (the "Amendment") that enters into effect on 1 November 2022. The aim of the Amendment is mainly to implement two EU directives (No. 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions in the EU and No. 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers) and to respond to certain requirements resulting from application practice. In this article, we present an overview of the most important changes.

Kinstellar has advised S Immo on its EUR 238.3 million acquisition of Budapest office properties and a land plot from the CPI Property Group. Dentons advised the seller.

Did You Know that, according to the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website, Kinstellar Bucharest Managing Partner Victor Constantinescu has worked on 12 reported Real Estate deals in Romania over the past nine years – the most of any lawyer in the country?

Kinstellar has advised a syndicate of banks led by VUB Banka on their EUR 100 million loan facility for refinancing and investment in Bratislava's Bory Mall. Skubla & Partneri advised Penta Real Estate on receiving the loan.

CMS has advised Marsh on its sale of an 80% stake in Insia to the Unilink Group. Kinstellar advised the buyer.

Kinstellar has advised Powerful Medical on its EUR 6.2 million seed funding round from investors including Arieli Capital, Venture To Future Fund, CB ESPRI Impact One, BPD partners, and several angel investors. Wise3 advised CB ESPRI Impact One.

Kinstellar has advised the Genesis Private Equity Fund I on its acquisition of JP-Prolak from Jaroslav Prokop. Moore Legal CZ advised Prokop on the sale.

Drakopoulos has advised the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy on reviewing the transposition process of Directive 2018/2001 (RED II) on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources into the Greek legal framework. Dimitrov Petrov & Co, Kirm Perpar, Wardynski & Partners, and Kinstellar Croatian affiliate Zuric i Partneri advised on the transposition review in Bulgaria, Slovenia, Poland, and Croatia, respectively. CLM Bitai & Partners and Vojcik & Partners also reportedly advised the European Commission.

Did You Know that, according to the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website, Clifford Chance worked on the most reported deals in CEE during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, from April 1, 2020, through January 1, 2022? In fact, the Magic Circle stalwart worked on an impressive 51 reported deals in CEE during that period – more than any other firm.

What do you do if your country is invaded, your parents and kids are killed when trying to escape the occupation, your wife is gang-raped, and you are beaten to death because you speak a language the invaders hate? What do you do if the invaders have looted your house, plundered your farm, or taken your factory away from you?

In Bulgaria, one ordinary and two extraordinary parliamentary elections were held in the span of eight months in 2021, and the country is now preparing for yet another extraordinary election on October 2, 2022. Which outstanding legislative packages are critical – considering the absence of regular parliamentary activities – and what are their implications for the country?

Kinstellar and its Turkish affiliate firm Gen Temizer Ozer have advised Unifonic on the acquisition of Sestek.

NKO Partners has advised CTP on its acquisition of almost 33 hectares of land in Simanovci, near Belgrade, from EBP Development. The SOG Law Firm advised EBP Development.

Kinstellar Croatian affiliate Zuric i Partneri has advised Robin Powered on its acquisition of Flow and Form. Sole practitioner Marko Kapetanovic reportedly advised the seller. 

Kinstellar and Paksoy, working with Linklaters' Paris office, have advised Plastic Omnium on its EUR 520 million acquisition of Varroc Lighting Systems from Varroc Engineering Limited. PwC Legal, working with Willkie Farr & Gallagher, advised Varroc on the sale of its automotive lighting systems business in the Czech Republic. White & Case reportedly advised a syndicate of banks on financing the transaction. Khaitan & Co, Creel Garcia-Cuellar Aiza y Enriquez, Lefosse, and Bennani & Associes reportedly advised Plastic Omnium in India, Mexico, Brazil, and Morocco, respectively. 

CMS has advised Gelsenwasser on the sale of its Czech water supply, wastewater disposal, and heat and power generation business to the Accolade Group. Kinstellar and, reportedly, Herbert Smith Freehills advised the Accolade Group.

Kinstellar has advised a syndicate of Czech banks led by Komercni Banka on providing financing to the FutureLife Group for the acquisition of a reproductive clinic in the UK and the group's future expansion. White & Case advised FutureLife.

Former Dentons Partner Annamaria Csenterics has joined Kinstellar in Budapest as a Partner to co-head the Corporate/M&A service line, including Real Estate and Private Equity, together with Gabor Gelencser.