Kinstellar successfully completes the acquisition of Noerr’s Bucharest operations, following the acquisition of Noerr’s Offices in Bratislava and Prague
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Kristóf Ferenczi is appointed Firm Managing Partner of Kinstellar

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Deals September 2024

Kinstellar advises MEREP on the acquisition of 50% ownership interest in OC Point Liptovský Mikuláš

Kinstellar has successfully advised Mitiska European Real Estate Partners 3 on the acquisition of a 50% ownership interest in OP Centrum Retail 2 from OPC Group. The target of the transaction, OP Centrum Retail 2, is currently developing a retail park in Liptovský Mikuláš in northern Slovakia.   Mitiska European Real Estate Partners 3 ("MEREP 3") is a fund owned by Mitiska REIM, a leading specialist investor in European convenience real estate. Kinstellar has also recently advised Mitiska REIM on the acquisition of four other retail parks from OPC Group—including Point Skalica, Point Sládkovičovo, Point Žiar nad Hronom, and Point Veľké Kapušany—as part of Mitiska REIM's plans to expand its retail

Insights September 2024

The Romanian Competition Council revamps its guidelines on issuing guidance letters

On 11 September 2024 the Romanian Competition Council's ("RCC") Order no. 2436/2024 implementing the Guidelines on informal guidance on novel or unresolved questions arising in individual cases concerning the application of Art. 5 and 6 of the Romanian Competition Law No. 21/1996 (the "Competition Law") was published in the Official Gazette of Romania and entered into force (the "Guidelines"). Art. 5 and 6 of the Competition Law represent the local-law equivalents of Art. 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and deal with the prohibition of agreements that restrict competition and, respectively, abuse of dominance. The Guidelines replace the previous RCC note on the matter

Deals September 2024

Kinstellar and KST Law advise Quexco Incorporated on its acquisition of Mutlu Akü

Kinstellar and KST Law are delighted to have advised Quexco Incorporated, a US-based diversified, private holding company with investments in the lubricants space and a rich history, previously operating in the battery industry, on its acquisition of Mutlu Akü, one of the major auto battery manufacturers in Turkey, and owner of a waste battery recycling facility, from Metair International Holdings Coöperatief U.A. (a member of Metair Group, a South African listed company). The team was led by Partner Emre Özer, supported by Senior Associate Şeyma Olğun, and Associate Sıla Şaylı. Kinstellar worked in close collaboration with Bowmans, as to South African law, throughout the transaction. Completion of the transaction is

Insights September 2024

Purpose of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and application of AIFC Law, in Kazakhstan

We have gathered practical insights based on case studies within the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), with a focus on the application of law in this jurisdiction. In this brief note, we aim to summarize these key points and share them with potential AIFC participants, investors, and professionals in the legal and financial sectors. It is important to note that this is not an academic article or legal advice, but rather practical observations. Purpose of the AIFC and application of AIFC Law As a starting point, the AIFC, located in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, was created to serve as a specialized financial hub, fostering investments and promoting regulated financial services. What distinguishes

Insights September 2024

Romania to introduce stricter compliance rules for crypto-asset service providers

Romania's National Office for the Prevention and Control of Money Laundering has recently published a draft of an Emergency Ordinance amending and supplementing Law no. 129/2019 on the prevention and control of money laundering and terrorist financing (the Emergency Ordinance) in order to harmonise domestic legislation with the provisions of Directive (EU) 2015/849 of the European  Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering or terrorist financing (the Fifth AML Directive), as amended by Regulation (EU) 2023/113 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on information accompanying transfers of funds and certain crypto-assets

Insights September 2024

How Slovak courts operated in 2023 – Statistics don’t lie

At the beginning of August 2024, the Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic released its annual statistical yearbook for 2023 (please see here: Statistical Yearbook 2023). At the time of publication, the effects of the so-called judicial map reforms that were initiated in 2023 had not yet manifested themselves in any significant way. However, we have identified several intriguing trends and other data that we would like to bring to your attention. Civil and commercial litigation In 2023, courts in the Slovak Republic handled 39,920 civil cases, with 110,392 disputes (including commercial cases), which is 7,742 fewer cases than in 2022. Based on an overview of the duration of proceedings in

Deals September 2024

Kinstellar advises Nova Ljubljanska Banka on successful completion of Summit Leasing Slovenia acquisition

Kinstellar is proud to have successfully advised Nova Ljubljanska Banka, Slovenia's largest banking group, on completing the acquisition of 100% of SLS HOLDCO, the parent company of Summit Leasing Slovenija, and its subsidiaries, including Croatian Mobil Leasing. After receiving all required regulatory and anti-trust approvals, NLB became the sole shareholder. The Kinstellar team, led by Partner Edmund Emre Özer and supported by Associate Bianka Kovacs, collaborated closely with Kavcic, Bracun & Partners in Slovenia on the transaction.

Insights September 2024

Kinstellar advises France’s NJJ Capital on the landmark roll-up of businesses in the telecommunications sector in Ukraine

Kinstellar is proud to have acted as Ukrainian legal counsel to NJJ Capital, the investment company of France's leading technology entrepreneur Xavier Niel, on the acquisition and merger of Datagroup-Volia, one of Ukraine's largest fixed telecom and pay-TV providers, and Lifecell, Ukraine's third-largest mobile operator. This landmark transaction is a significant consolidation of and investment in the Ukrainian telecoms market, that will bring many benefits to telecoms consumers, especially during wartime circumstances. Kinstellar's legal team provided comprehensive Ukrainian law advice to NJJ Capital throughout the transaction. Lead lawyer and office managing partner Olena Kuchynska, noted:

Deals September 2024

Kinstellar advises France’s NJJ Capital on the landmark roll-up of businesses in the telecommunications sector in Ukraine

Kinstellar is proud to have acted as Ukrainian legal counsel to French tech entrepreneur Xavier Niel's investment company, NJJ Capital, in the acquisition and merger of Datagroup-Volia, one of Ukraine's largest fixed telecom and pay-TV providers, and Lifecell, Ukraine's third-largest mobile operator. This landmark transaction is a significant consolidation of and investment in the Ukrainian telecoms market, that will bring many benefits to telecoms consumers, especially during wartime circumstances. Kinstellar's legal team provided comprehensive Ukrainian law advice to NJJ Capital throughout the transaction. Lead lawyer and office managing partner Olena Kuchynska, noted, "We hope that this investment

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Kinstellar acts as trusted legal counsel to leading investors across Emerging Europe and Central Asia. Our reputation for quality, excellence and integrity speaks for itself.

With offices in eleven jurisdictions and over 300 local and international lawyers, we deliver consistent, joined-up legal advice and assistance across diverse regional markets – together with the know-how and experience to champion your interests while minimising exposure to risk.

Our clients include leading international and regional corporations, banks and other financial institutions, state bodies, multi-lateral institutions, and international law firms with clients that require top-quality legal counsel in our jurisdictions. We handle the most important and complex assignments for clients across diverse industries and business sectors.

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🌍 #Kinstellar is proud to have contributed to the International Comparative Legal Guide - #Sanctions #2025! 📝 In our chapter, we provide an in-depth #analysis of sanctions regimes and enforcement mechanisms across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We explore the legal foundations, sanctions authorities, enforcement practices, and emerging trends in countries such as: 📍 #EU Member States: #Bulgaria, #Croatia, #Czech Republic, #Hungary, #Romania, and #Slovakia, where sanctions are predominantly based on EU regulations. 📍 Non-EU States: #Kazakhstan, #Uzbekistan, and #Serbia, which have developed distinct sanctions approaches influenced by geopolitical considerations. 📍 #Ukraine: With a unique and dynamic sanctions regime, Ukraine continues to adapt its framework to address the ongoing conflict with russia, including asset recovery during martial law and a focus on entities posing threats to national security. 🙌 Special thanks to Partners Luke Wochensky (Risk and Investigations) and Karla Rundtova (FDI Screening) for their coordination, as well as our entire team for their expertise in shaping this comprehensive overview: 👇 🌟 #Bulgaria: Svilen Issaev; 🌟 #Croatia: Kristina Marinov; 🌟 #Czech Republic: Matěj Večeřa and Antonín Seidel; 🌟 #Hungary: Barnabás Hábel and Fanni Oroszi, LL.M; 🌟 #Slovakia: Roman Oleksik and Katarina Sowada; 🌟 #Romania: Iustinian Captariu, Dana Sârbu and Cătălin Graure; 🌟 #Serbia: Nevena Milosevic, Tijana Kovacevic and Miloš Velimirović; 🌟 #Kazakhstan: Kuanysh Shekerbekov and Joel B. Benjamin; 🌟 #Uzbekistan: Sher Yunusov and Jakhongir Azatov; 🌟 #Ukraine: Yulia Eismont and Danylo Volkovetskyi. 🔎 Read more here 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gVcXrkjW 🙏 A big thank you to International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG) for the invitation to contribute, and we look forward to future collaborations! #intheknow #sanctions #legalguide #CEE #CentralAsia #sanctionsregime #legalframework

📢 We are delighted to share that Edin Karakas (Partner) and Sven Plašćar (Junior Associate) from our #Zagreb office have contributed to the EMF-ECBC (European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council) Fact Book #2024! 📘 💡 Their #insights come at a crucial time, with #geopolitical shifts and a new political agenda shaping the role of the Capital Markets Union (CMU) Initiative. These developments coincide with the European Banking Authority's (#EBA) review of the #EU covered #bond framework, and the fight against inflation is reshaping the monetary policy landscape. The resilience of covered bonds as a reliable, long-term financing tool is more evident than ever, offering stability amidst market volatility. 👉 Click here to read 🔎 https://lnkd.in/eb9p9gA #EMFECBC #CoveredBonds #CapitalMarkets #FinancialStability #Banking #Finance #EuropeanMarkets #ZagrebOffice #MonetaryPolicy #LongTermFinancing #CapitalMarketsUnion #Inflation #GlobalFinance #SustainableFinance #RiskManagement #EUFinance

Ardak Idayatova, head of the #Dispute Resolution Practice in our #Almaty office, was a featured hashtag#speaker at the recent “IAC Women in #Arbitration Day'' conference. Organised by the AIFC Court and International Arbitration Centre (IAC) in partnership with ArbitralWomen, the event was part of ''Astana Finance Days'' and marked a significant milestone as the first event of its kind in #Kazakhstan.

Ardak Idayatova was a featured speaker at the recent “IAC Women in Arbitration Day'' conference in Astana

📢 We are excited to announce the launch of the #Kinstellar Western #Balkans Hub (#WBH)! 👉 This initiative is designed to facilitate #development and #business connections in a region brimming with potential. 🗺️ Covering #Slovenia, #Croatia, #Serbia, #Bosnia and Herzegovina, #Montenegro, North #Macedonia, #Kosovo, and soon, #Albania, our WBH leverages the regional expertise of our #Zagreb and #Belgrade teams to provide seamless #legal support, including through external resources, in the WBH markets. 📈 With the Western Balkans experiencing dynamic #economic growth and ongoing legal #reforms, the Kinstellar WBH is strategically positioned to help you navigate this evolving landscape, offering expert legal #guidance tailored to each market’s specifics. 💻 Visit our page, drop us a line and let’s talk! 🤝 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dYqgWY-d #exceptionaltogether #CorporateLaw #InvestmentOpportunities #BalkansBusiness #EconomicGrowth #WesternBalkans

📢 🇹🇷 Kinstellar and KST Law are delighted to have advised #Quexco Incorporated, a #US-based diversified, private holding company with investments in the lubricants space, on its #acquisition of Mutlu Akü, one of the major #auto #battery manufacturers in #Turkey, from Metair International Holdings Coöperatief U.A. (a member of Metair Group, a South African listed company). 💼 Completion of the transaction is subject to shareholder and anti-trust approvals as well as other customary conditions.   🌟 The team was led by Partner Emre Edmund Ozer, supported by Senior Associate Şeyma Olğun, and Associate Sıla Özge Şaylı. 🤝 Kinstellar worked in close collaboration with Bowmans (Law Firm), as to South African law, throughout the transaction. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dGb_wDV9   🙌 Kinstellar operates in #Turkey in cooperation with KST LAW, a full-service corporate law firm based in #Istanbul. #donedeals #intheknow #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateLaw #Kinstellar #KSTLaw #TurkeyBusiness #AutoIndustry #GlobalTransactions #BatteryManufacturing #PrivateEquity #CrossBorderDeal #LegalExperts #MetairGroup #BusinessExpansion #DealAdvisory

📢 🇷🇴 #Romania strengthens #compliance regulations for #crypto service providers ₿ 📝 Romania’s National Office for the Prevention and Control of Money Laundering has recently published a draft Emergency Ordinance to align national law with the EU's Fifth AML Directive and MiCAR regulations. This crucial update focuses on increasing compliance for crypto-asset service providers, ensuring tighter oversight and reducing the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. 📌 Some of the key updates: 👉 Introduction of the term "crypto-asset service provider" to standardize terminology; 👉 A well-defined regulatory framework and rigorous #KYC, #AML, and #CFT requirements; 👉 Enhanced supervision by the National Bank of Romania and the Financial Supervision Authority; 👉 Mandatory appointment of a single point of contact for providers authorised in other EU member states. 📅 The new provisions will come into force on 30 December 2024, with certain compliance obligations starting in January 2025. 🔗 Read more about the regulatory changes and their impact in the article ✍️ written by Razvan Constantinescu, Managing Associate, and Horațiu Crețu Cretu, Junior Associate 👉 https://lnkd.in/dcg__kYY #intheknow #CryptoRegulation #AML #CryptoCompliance #FinancialRegulations #MiCAR

📢 🇺🇦 Olena Kuchynska, Managing Partner of our #Ukraine office and co-Head of Kinstellar’s firm-wide ESG service line, will speak at the #ESG & #Compliance Forum 2024 covering #EU Directives: ''How Companies Should Act in Ukraine'', 📍 taking place in #Kyiv, on 📅 19 September. 👉 The forum participants will discuss the most pressing issues in sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and legal compliance, including: 🌍 Vision: the global ESG regulatory landscape – what are the challenges for companies? 🏢 ESG transformation and corporate responsibility management. ⚖️ The role of compliance in ESG – synergy of capabilities, objectives, and processes. 🚨 Managing ESG risks in organisations. 💡 ESG for business leadership. 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/djEubgj7 #intheknow #ESG #Compliance #Sustainability #KyivEvent #CorporateResponsibility #Networking #LegalCompliance #UkraineBusiness #ESGForum2024

🇸🇰 📈 In early August 2024, the Ministry of Justice of the #Slovak Republic published its annual statistical yearbook for 2023. 👉 While the impact of the judicial map reforms initiated in 2023 has yet to be fully realized, the data offers some interesting insights. 📝 In the article below, Michal Hrušovský (Managing Associate) and Viliam Achberger (Junior Associate) explore emerging trends and other notable findings from the yearbook. 👇 Read more and access the whole article here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dDXiqhc7 #intheknow #JudicialReforms #SlovakiaLaw #LegalTrends #JusticeStatistics #JudicialMap #LegalInsights #Kinstellar #LawInSlovakia

💼 #Kinstellar is proud to have successfully advised Nova Ljubljanska Banka, d.d. (NLB), #Slovenia’s largest #banking group, in completing the #acquisition of 100% of SLS HOLDCO, holdinška družba, d.o.o., the parent company of Summit Leasing Slovenija d.o.o., and its subsidiaries, including Croatian Mobil Leasing d.o.o. After receiving all required regulatory and anti-trust approvals, NLB became the sole shareholder.   🌟 The Kinstellar team was led by Partner Emre Edmund Ozer, supported by Associate Bianka Kovacs dr.. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dVyy_Z4t #donedeals #FinancialServices #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateLaw #LegalAdvisory #NLBGroup #SummitLeasing #KinstellarDeal #CrossBorderTransaction #LawFirm #BankingIndustry #LegalExpertise #DealCompleted