In response to the coronavirus outbreak, most CEE/SEE countries have introduced provisions to close certain premises, while only some have banned the termination of leases in order to protect tenants who have lost revenues.

Contributed by ACI Partners.

“The end of 2019 has marked the end of the Sandu Cabinet — led by former Prime Minister Maia Sandu — and the takeover of the Prime Minister position by Ion Chicu,” says Daniel Cobzac, Managing Partner at Cobzac & Partners in Chisinau. “The Socialist Party now has its largest representation ever, and it was able to appoint one of their own to the Prime Minister’s position.”

Contributed by Schoenherr

Schoenherr Advises Fintur on Sale of Moldcell to CG Cell Technologies

Schoenherr has advised Fintur Holdings B.V. on its USD 31.5 million sale of its 100% holding of Moldcell S.A., to CG Cell Technologies DAC. Gladei & Partners advised CG Technologies.

Filip & Company, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and Vernon David & Associates have advised Banca Transilvania on the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Microinvest. Osborne Clarke and Turcan Cazac advised the sellers on the transaction, which remains contingent on regulatory approval.

Former Wolf Theiss Poland Co-Managing Partner Ron Given has joined Deloitte Legal as its CE Senior Legal Counsel, responsible for all of the firm’s offices in 19 Central and Eastern European countries.

Major developments in 2018 and 2019 have affected the growth of the agricultural industry and agribusiness in Moldova. Key among these developments was the March 1, 2019 adoption of the restated Moldovan Civil Code, which significantly affected the parts of the Moldovan legal framework relevant to businesses.

Igor Andries is the Head of Legal & Regulatory at Orange Moldova.

The landlocked former Soviet republic struggles to move beyond political division and geopolitical pressures to find a steady and reliable path to prosperity.

Turcan Cazac has advised Victoriabank and Banca Transilvania on a club deal loan in Moldova to Lemi Invest S.A. to finance the construction of the first A+ class office building in Chisinau, and a 4-star Courtyard Marriott Hotel. Volciuc Ionescu reportedly advised Victoriabank and Banca Transilvania on matters of Romanian law.

Efrim, Rosca & Associates has advised the Moldovan Government, acting through the Agency for Public Property, on its sale of 63.8865% of the authorized capital of Moldindconbank to Bulgaria's Doverie United-Holding AD. Gladei & Partners and Cobzac & Partners advised Doverie-Invest on the deal, which had received preliminary approval on January 22 from the National Bank of Moldova.

According to Oleg Efrim, the Managing Partner at Moldova’s Efrim Rosca Asociatii law firm, the primary topic of interest at the moment in the Moldovan legal community is the country’s newly modernized Civil Code which will become effective on March 1, 2019. According to Efrim, the new Code will be a significant upgrade to the existing law, which entered into force in 2003 as the country’s first following the fall of the Soviet Union. “It’s a substantial amendment,” Efrim reports, pointing out that the number of articles is increasing from the existing 1624 to 2671, and he says that "it is, indeed, a modernization of the Code.”

CMS and Turzan Cazac have advised the OTP Bank Group on the acquisition of 87.85% of shares in Mobiasbanca from the Societe Generale group. Schoenherr, working with lead counsel Jones Day, advised Societe Generale on the sale. 

Mariana Stratan, Iulia Furtuna, Ana Galus, and Vadim Taigorba have been promoted Partner at Moldova's Turcan Cazac.

“This fall Moldova is facing parliamentary elections and so, for the moment, we are just coping with the current political reality and trying to keep a record of all the new legislation – which the Parliament is passing at quite a fast pace,” reports Vladimir Iurkovski, Managing Attorney at Law at Schoenherr Moldova.

Generally, foreigners in Moldova have the same rights and freedoms as Moldovan citizens. This general rule applies, inter alia, to acquisitions by foreigners of immovable assets. In other words, Moldovan legislation does not require that foreign individuals or legal entities obtain any permits to acquire land plots in the country beyond those required for Moldovan citizens. However, certain exceptions and requirements apply when it comes to land acquisition.

The winners of the 2017 CEE Deal of the Year Awards were announced at the first ever CEE Legal Matters Deal of the Year Awards Banquet last night in Prague. The biggest smiles in the joyous and music-filled celebration of CEE lawyering, perhaps, were on the faces of Partners from Avellum and Sayenko Kharenko, which, along with White & Case and Latham & Watkins, won the award both for Ukrainian Deal of the Year and CEE Deal of the Year for their work on the 2017 Ukraine Eurobond Issue (a story initially reported by CEE Legal Matters on October 2, 2017).