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Changes and clarifications regarding construction tax in Romania
On 4 April 2025, Romania government Emergency Ordinance no. 21/2025 ("the GEO") was published and entered into force, introducing several important amendments and clarifications regarding the recently enacted construction tax. We summarise the main provisions below. Reduction of the tax rate: The construction tax rate has been decreased from 1% to 0.5%. Tax base clarification: It is now explicitly clarified that the 0.5% tax applies to the net book value of constructions. New separate tax (0.25%): A separate tax of 0.25% has been introduced for buildings belonging to the public or private domains of state or administrative-territorial units that are utilised based on contracts, agreements, or legal
New regulations in Romania on the dual use of permanent grasslands for renewable energy projects
On 10 January 2025, Order No. 4/2025 came into force, detailing the procedure for the partial removal of land occupied by permanent grasslands from agricultural use when utilised in a dual system. The use of permanent grasslands in a dual system is of particular interest to investors in the renewable energy sector. Legislative background In principle, the possibility of using permanent grasslands in a dual system—both for agricultural production and for generating electricity from renewable sources—was already regulated since 2022. This was introduced by Law 254/2022 as an amendment to Law No. 18/1991 regarding land fund. However, in practice, numerous difficulties arose regarding the implementation of
Kinstellar advises Solida Capital on its expansion into the Central and Eastern European market with the acquisition of Victoria Center in Bucharest
Kinstellar is pleased to announce that it has advised Solida Capital, a leading investment and asset management firm, on its first office acquisition in Romania—the purchase of Victoria Center from Manova Partners (formerly Macquarie), an internationally active independent real estate investment company. This transaction marks a significant milestone in Solida Capital’s expansion into the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market. Located on Calea Victoriei, one of Bucharest’s most prestigious business addresses, Victoria Center is a prime office building with a Gross Leasable Area (GLA) of 8,600 square meters across 10 floors, including ground-floor retail space and 92 parking spaces. The property has been consistently
Kinstellar announced the promotion of Mario Kijanović to Managing Associate in Belgrade
Kinstellar is pleased to announce the promotion of Mario Kijanović from our Belgrade office to Managing Associate. Mario’s expertise spans a variety of sectors, including renewable energy projects, commercial and industrial leasing, acquisitions, disposals, and complex capital transactions. He has assisted a wide range of clients, from the public sector to some of the world’s largest property and renewable energy project developers. Mario has provided advisory services on major acquisitions for leading international clients such as Two Rivers, Besico, and Strabag, further solidifying his reputation as a trusted advisor. Mario is also recognized as a Rising Star in Real Estate and Construction by Legal 500
Kinstellar strengthens its Corporate and M&A team in Hungary, with a senior hire
Kinstellar is delighted to announce the return of László Palócz, a leading M&A lawyer, to our Budapest office, as Counsel, effective 20 January 2025. László spent over six years at Kinstellar earlier in his career, during which his outstanding work on complex corporate M&A transactions and real estate matters earned him a promotion to Senior Associate. László brings in-depth expertise in multiple industries, having represented global investors, asset managers, and multinational corporations in landmark projects, including acquisitions, disposals, and lease negotiations. He has played key roles as part of various high-profile M&A transactions advising on complex legal matters and also has significant
Ransomware attack on Slovakia’s Real Estate Register causes nationwide outage of all services and databases containing information on immovable property rights
On 5 January 2025, the Real Estate Register in the Slovak Republic (the “Register”) was subject to a ransomware cyberattack. The Register is the sole register containing information on ownership, third-party rights (easements, pledges, etc.) and other material information on immovable properties in Slovakia. As a result of the cyberattack, all the Register’s services are unavailable, and all Real Estate Register Offices are closed until further notice. In practice, the following services, among others, are unavailable: it is not possible to obtain title deeds, either in electronic or in hard-copy form; and all ongoing proceedings concerning immovable properties (sale, pledge, etc.)
Kinstellar advises Mitiska REIM on a joint venture with Park Lane Developments for the development of retail parks in Bulgaria
Kinstellar has advised the Mitiska European Real Estate Partners 3, a real estate fund managed by Mitiska REIM, on its entry into the real estate market in Bulgaria through a joint venture (JV) with Park Lane Developments. Mitiska REIM, the leading specialist investor in European convenience real estate, and Park Lane Developments, a leading commercial property company developing and managing prime office, logistics/light-industrial, and retail park assets in CEE, plan to develop and open at least five prime retail parks in Bulgaria over the next five years. Kinstellar advised on the structuring and implementation of the JV. The team was led by Partner Antonia Mavrova (Head of Real Estate, Construction &
Kinstellar continues to grow its Bucharest team, adding 6 new hires in the real estate, banking and finance, and competition law areas
Kinstellar is pleased to announce the successful completion of a new recruitment round, welcoming six lawyers to its growing team in Bucharest. The new additions bolster the local team’s offering in the real estate, banking & finance, and competition practices, addressing the increasing demand for specialized legal expertise in Romania. Denisa Constantin joined the real estate team as Associate. She has a proven track record of working on landmark transactions involving office, industrial, and agricultural assets, as well as renewable energy projects. Denisa has advised developers on due diligence, transaction documents, permitting, lease agreements, and superficies agreements, among others. Sandra Gheorghe
Kinstellar advises S IMMO AG on the sale of Zagrebtower
Kinstellar has successfully advised S IMMO AG on the sale of Zagrebtower office building to the OTP Group. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024, subject to the necessary regulatory approvals. Kinstellar advised S IMMO AG throughout the process including on structuring of the transaction, due diligence, and transaction negotiations. Located in the heart of the Croatian capital, the class A office building encompasses a total net area of almost 26,000 m² and has a BREEAM International In-Use Excellent certificate. Zagrebtower consists of a 22-storey, 79 metre office tower with a connected nine-storey low-rise building. The tenants include the Croatian Ministry of Economy and
Kinstellar advises IMMOFINANZ on the sale of Grand Center Zagreb
Kinstellar has successfully advised IMMOFINANZ on the sale of the Grand Center Zagreb office building to a Croatian real estate investment company. Kinstellar advised IMMOFINANZ throughout the process including on structuring of the sale process, structuring of the transaction, due diligence, and transaction negotiations. Located in the heart of the Croatian capital, Grand Center Zagreb stands as a modern, high-quality office building with a distinctive architectural design. With approximately 16,000 sqm of exclusive office space, the property also provides tenants with access to local amenities, including a variety of bars and restaurants. Kinstellar’s team was led by Andrijana Kaštelan, Counsel, and
Kinstellar announces new promotions to Counsel
February 2024 – Kinstellar is delighted to announce the promotions to Counsel of: Yerlan Akhmetov, Kuanysh Shekerbekov (Almaty, Kazakhstan), Cătălin Dinu, Cătălin Graure (Bucharest, Romania), Barnabás Sági (Budapest, Hungary), Yulia Eismont, Maksym Tesliar (Kyiv, Ukraine), Michal Forýtek (Prague, Czech Republic), Andrijana Kaštelan, Vedran Kopilović, Marija Vuchetich (Zagreb, Croatia). ALMATY Yerlan Akhmetov focuses on banking and finance, M&A and capital markets matters. Having been with the Firm for nine years, Yerlan has earned a reputation for cultivating strong client relationships, demonstrating leadership qualities and making significant contributions to our firm's success. He has played a key role
Kinstellar strengthens its team in Kazakhstan with the appointment of Ardak Idayatova as Partner
Kinstellar is delighted to announce that Ardak Idayatova has joined the firm’s Almaty office as Partner. Ardak Idayatova is an experienced practitioner with a career spanning 20 years. She focuses primarily on commercial arbitration (especially construction arbitration) and litigation, as well as on public-private partnerships and real estate. Ardak’s expertise includes providing comprehensive support to major infrastructure projects, primarily representing foreign investors, international development banks and foreign contractors. Additionally, she represents and provides legal assistance to clients in foreign commercial arbitrations, mainly in connection with construction disputes arising out of different