BIG CEE, a subsidiary of BIG Shopping Centers, has announced a significant €100 million financing agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to fuel its expansion across the Balkans. 

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced plans to expand in the Balkans region, with five Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts expected to open by 2027.

Czech property consultancy 108 Real Estate has announced the opening of a new office in Zagreb covering Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia as part of its expansion in the Balkans.

iO Partners, JLL Preferred Partner, continues to strengthen its cross-border capabilities in Central and East Europe with a new regional structure to support its market leading Industrial & Logistics business.

The Managing Director of JLL Czech Republic expects a fairly quiet year in 2023 in the investment market. But in the industrial market, next year should be a strong one due to continued steady demand, says Andrew Peirson in an interview with Property Forum.

IREP and West Properties have joined forces in a partnership to provide full real estate services for Serbia and the wider Balkans region. In a strategic move that will be announced at MIPIM in Cannes, France, the two companies will combine key services, knowledge and experience to offer a comprehensive and dynamic range of services currently not available in this region.

Climate change presents new challenges for the real estate sector but also an opportunity to get ahead of the competition. The topic was discussed at Balkans Property Forum 2021, Property Forum’s annual event in Belgrade.

BIG Shopping Centers Ltd., the controlling shareholder (~95%) of BIG CEE, successfully raised NIS 205 million (approx. €55 million) by issuing secured bonds in the Israeli stock exchange by refinancing the following shopping centres: BIG Fashion Kragujevac, BIG Kruševac and BIG Fashion Outlet Inđija.

Building construction markets of the Balkan EECFA countries as a whole have shown resistance during the pandemic so far. Nonetheless, the region is foreseen to have yet another negative year in 2021, before expansion can return in 2022. The EECFA (Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association) has released its Construction Forecast Report for winter 2020.

The construction industry seems to have been relatively less affected than some other industries (like tourism) as most large projects continue during the lockdown measures across the region. The Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association has published a COVID-19 update on the construction sectors of Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia.