Georgia’s political and judicial challenges are impacting lawyers, particularly with attempts to introduce FARA-style regulations in a way that could restrict their work, according to J&T Consulting Partner Otar Machaidze. Legal work is stagnating and businesses are waiting for stability while the new convention on lawyers offers a rare glimmer of hope.

Bulgaria is currently facing delays in passing key legislation, with the government focused on distributing the state budget through sectors and preparing for Eurozone accession in 2026, according to PPG Lawyers Managing Partner Irena Georgieva. Regulatory changes are expected, and the IT sector remains strong and innovative.

Serbia’s legal market is influenced by ongoing political instability stemming from months-long student protests and the recent resignation of the Prime Minister, according to NKO Partners Junior Partner Branko Jankovic. This situation is expected to slow M&A activity, particularly in real estate and mining, though everyday employment-related legal work is on the rise.

Prioritizing defense, tax reforms, and anticipated tariffs are at the top of the agenda in Slovenia, according to ODI Law Partner Tine Misic, who reports the country is looking to upgrade its railway infrastructure and nuclear power plant in Krsko.

Croatia’s mergers and acquisitions market continues to exhibit remarkable dynamism, with strong activity across key sectors such as hospitality, healthcare, and alternative energy according to Tarja Krehic, Managing Partner at Krehic & Zornada, who also reports on legislative reforms aimed at aligning Croatia’s corporate governance and state-owned enterprise management with OECD standards.

Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine’s legal and investment landscape continues to evolve, with shifting trends in M&A, infrastructure, and technology-driven sectors, according to EY Law Partner Bogdan Malniev who also reports renewed interest in logistics, defense technology, and corporate governance reforms.

Albania is aligning with EU regulations through new laws, including a data protection law in 2025 and a new updated electronic communications law, according to Ismailaj & Partners Managing Partner Erinda Ismailaj. With elections on May 11, legislative activity has slowed, creating uncertainties that can lead to a lack of predictability in a business environment.

Dentons Partner and and Head of the Capital Markets group in Bucharest Loredana Chitu highlights Romania's vibrant M&A market, driven by strong investor interest in energy, technology, and logistics-focused real estate, while also cautioning that ongoing geopolitical and economic challenges, as well as upcoming elections, could influence investment activity throughout 2025.

From changes in government and potential alterations in tax reform to budget cuts in the court system and EU fines, the past few months have brought significant changes to Estonia’s legal and political landscape, according to Rask Partner Annika Vait.

Hungary’s legal and business landscape is undergoing significant transformation, driven by a steady increase in M&A activity, rapid digitalization, and evolving regulatory frameworks, according to DLA Piper Hungary Partner and Head of Intellectual Property and Technology Zoltan Kozma.

Jovovic, Mugosa & Vukovic Attorney at Law Bojana Nikcevic discusses the impact of judicial delays, activities of the Bar Association, and the legislative changes that are set to reshape Montenegro’s competition law, business regulations, and corporate compliance in the country.

Sustainability-related disputes, cyber security issues, and corporate restructurings are shaping Austria’s legal dispute landscape, with courts and arbitration increasingly tackling ESG issues and greenwashing claims, according to Taylor Wessing Partner Ivo Deskovic who highlights a surge in insolvencies as well as the long-anticipated implementation of the EU Class Action Directive.

The recent 30-day lawyer strike has sent ripples across Serbia’s legal and business environment, disrupting key judicial and administrative functions and raising concerns about prolonged instability. Schoenherr Partner Igor Zivkovski discusses the strike’s impact, investor sentiment, as well as a promising corporate bond program, and the evolving regulatory framework as Serbia navigates a period of uncertainty.

The last two months have been marked by political uncertainty, according to Act Legal Romania Partner Mihaela Posirca. While challenges like a new tax on construction emerge, positive developments in deals and regulatory clarity provide a balanced outlook for the year ahead.

Highlights in Hungary are delayed real estate digitization, stricter ESG compliance, and regulatory deal flow complexities, according to Szecskay Senior Partner Judit Budai, with her projecting that sectors like IT, defense, infrastructure, and ESG compliance will dominate the agenda in the near future.

Pekin Bayar Mizrahi Senior Partner Selin Bayar discusses Turkiye’s economic challenges, rising labor costs, and evolving regulatory landscape in the financing world.

Amid the daily disruptions of war, Ukraine’s legal market has shifted focus to urgent areas like military law, sanctions compliance, and damage compensation, while adapting to workforce shortages and declining revenues, according to Asters Senior Partner Armen Khachaturyan.

Georgia’s post-election turbulence has cast a shadow over its business and legal landscape, with pro-EU momentum suspended as of now and investor confidence somewhat shaken, PwC Legal Director and Head of Legal Vano Gogelia reports. Despite the uncertainty, key sectors like construction, infrastructure, and energy remain active, providing cautious optimism amidst widespread challenges.