According to Dr Aleš Pustovrh at the EECFA, which conducts research on the construction markets of 8 Eastern European countries, residential construction boom in Slovenia continues and is set to peak this year. Nevertheless, with increasing interest rates on mortgage loans, residential construction will be facing significantly lower demand in the second half of 2023.

Swedish furniture brand Ikea has opened an expanded order centre in Mall Galleria, Burgas. It features 140 sqm of retail space, a new kitchen designing studio with a showroom and four additional planning areas.

According to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute, the number of newly built residential buildings in the first quarter of 2023 was 1 289, and the number of newly built dwellings was 4,427.

Mercedes-Benz has inaugurated the Silver Star complex on 52 Chelopeshko Shose, just outside of Sofia, Bulgaria. The complex is located in an area of 65,000 sqm, on two floors, and offers all sales and after-sales services for cars, trucks, vans, and buses.

Total transaction volume in the first quarter in Belgrade was €537 million, which represents a decrease of around 5 % compared to the overall amount of €563 million which was registered in the first quarter of 2022, but the overall amount spent is still extremely high, real estate agency Cordon reports.

Ѕоfіа hаѕ ѕееn а dесlіnе іn thе numbеr оf residential trаnѕасtіоnѕ fоr a thіrd соnѕесutіvе quаrtеr. According to the latest data from the National Statistical Institute for the first quarter of the year, property sales in the capital shrank annually by 12.2% and reached 6381.

Billa Bulgaria announced an investment of BGN 28 million (around €14 million) to open 12 new stores in the country and create 250 new jobs.

High inflation and rising interest rates seem to have bitten in overall consumption. And although Serbia is likely to avoid recession in the short run, its real GDP growth is estimated to be a moderate 2%-4% this year and next with a downside risk being the looming recession in the EU. The rental housing market has been supported by the Russian and Ukrainian citizens settling down in Serbia, keeping rent rates high. Housing construction is still strong and although the volumes in building construction are already consolidating, big infrastructure projects could sustain civil engineering on all-high levels in the mid-term, according to Dejan Krajinović (Beobuild Core d.o.o.) at EECFA which conducts research on the construction markets of 8 Eastern-European countries, including Serbia.

International Workplace Group has announced two new locations in Sofia. This brings their portfolio to fifth workspaces in the capital, seven in Bulgaria. One of the locations is at the European Trade Center and the other is the Regus Labirint Center in the Lyulin district

Radisson Hotel Group announced the debut of its upscale Radisson Red brand in Serbia with the signing of Radisson Red Belgrade, set to open later this year. Located just minutes from the capital’s historic centre, Radisson Red is the first Radisson Red branded hotel to be operated by PPHE Hotel Group’s Croatian subsidiary Arena Hospitality Group. This collaboration is made possible under the extended strategic partnership between Radisson Hotel Group and PPHE Hotel Group, through which both companies intend to leverage each other’s brands and strengths.