The Croatian tech sector has been booming lately. With Rimac and Infobip achieving unicorn status, several other tech companies well on their way to a valuation above EUR 1 billion, and the recent successful listing of several IT companies, it seems like the Croatian tech party is going strong, and everyone is invited.

Kinstellar has announced it is entering the Croatian market by integrating the Zuric i Partneri (ZiP) law firm. While the local firm will keep its name, "ZiP is now a fully integrated office of Kinstellar."

Savoric & Partners has advised Deltron on its 80% sale to Beijer Ref. Ilej & Partners, in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners, advised Beijer Ref on the deal.

Nebojsa Vitez and Luka Porobija have been promoted to Equity Partners at Porobija & Spoljaric as of January 1, 2022.

Marohnic, Tomek & Gjoic has advised Immofinanz on the acquisition of ENS Development in Croatia. Andelovic, Siketic & Tomic advised the sellers on the deal.

Norton Rose Fulbright, Krehic & Partners, and Magnusson have advised Inter Cars on the extension, increase, and reorganization of senior facilities in the aggregate amount of PLN 1.84 billion. Clifford Chance advised the financing consortium.

Contributed by Hanzekovic & Partners.

Last week two key regulatory changes took place that will have important implications for future development of the Croatian renewable energy market.

Savoric & Partners has advised the consortium of APM Terminals and Enna Logic on the 50-year concession agreement for the development and operation of the Zagreb Deep Sea container terminal with the Rijeka Port Authority.

On July 21, 2021, the Croatian High Administrative Court confirmed the Croatian Competition Agency’s (CCA) cartel decision adopted against 14 Croatian driving schools. In its infringement decision dated December 30, 2019, the CCA established the existence of a price-fixing cartel between 14 Croatian driving schools and imposed fines in the total amount of HRK 415,000 (approximately EUR 55,500). During this cartel investigation the CCA conducted several dawn raids and established the existence of a price-fixing cartel based on, inter alia, WhatsApp correspondence exchanged between representatives and employees of cartel members. Based on CCA’s infringement decision, the content of exchanged WhatsApp correspondence between cartel members referred to the coordinated price increases for driving lessons starting from the beginning of 2018.

Political stability and predictability, shake-ups for the corporate and banking legislative frameworks, and a solid economic situation despite the pandemic – these are the current highlights in Croatia, according to Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka Partner Martina Kalamiza.

Earlier this year, the start-up scene in Croatia picked up speed with the Rimac Automobili – Bugatti deal. The burgeoning Croatian manufacturer, which focuses on constructing electric hypercars, struck a deal with global automotive giant Bugatti, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, to form a joint venture for the production of next-generation supercars.

Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka has advised M7 Real Estate Croatian subsidiary M7 Central European Real Estate Fund I on its sale of the Mani Business Center to the Raiffeisen Pension Insurance Company. Macesic & Partners advised Raiffeisen Pension Insurance.

Vukmir & Associates and Kapolyi, working together with Herbert Smith Freehills’ Paris office, have advised Engie on the spin-off and sale of its construction and services business to Bouygues. White & Case's Paris office advised the Engie board of directors. Reportedly, Wolf Theiss, AKK, and Python Avocats also advised Engie in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland, respectively.

Savoric & Partners has advised Agrofert on the acquisition of Agronom in Croatia. Kovacevic Prpic Simeunovic advised Agronom on the deal.

Radovanovic Stojanovic & Partners and Cerha Hempel have advised AIK Banka, Gorenjska Banka, and Agri Europe Cyprus on their acquisition of Sberbank Europe’s shares in six CEE banks. Noerr advised the buyers on Hungarian law, while Maric & Co, Zuric and Partners, Tos & Partners, and Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners reportedly advised the buyers on Bosnian, Croatian, Slovenian, and Russian matters, respectively.

JPM Jankovic, Popovic, Mitic, working with Rojs, Peljhan, Prelesnik & Partners and Prebanic & Jusufbasic-Goloman, has advised DuluxGroup on its EUR 194.5 million acquisition of Jub. Jadek & Pensa advised the shareholders of Jub on the deal. Kinstellar and Bogdanovic, Dolicki & Partners have, reportedly, also advised the buyer.

Croatian Parliament recently adopted the final draft of the new Electronic Media Act (the Act), which entered into force on 22 October 2021.