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.

Geneva has overtaken London at this year's edition of Arcadis International Construction Costs Index 2023. The report 'New Horizons'' covers 100 cities. The index is based on a survey of construction costs which covers 20 building functions.

Bulgarian malt producer Malteries Soufflet, one of the world's three leading operators in the malt industry and a subsidiary of the European agricultural group InVivo, will invest €56 million in constructing a new malt plant near the city of Pleven.

For the first time, Zagreb Property Forum was organised in the Croatian capital, bringing together real estate experts from the local market and beyond. The event confirmed increasing interest by investors and developers for Croatia, especially following the country’s admission to the Eurozone and the Schengen Area. However, given the global macroeconomic climate, uncertainty persists.

2022 saw an almost complete recovery of Croatia’s tourism industry with only 2% fewer overnight stays than in 2019. Hotels were almost at full capacity (98% open). In the summer season, hotels achieved 5% higher revenues than in 2019, primarily through an increase in occupancy of 25% (to 79%) compared to the 2021 season, which means a 9% gap compared to the occupancy of 2019, CBS International, part of Cushman & Wakefield Group reports..

The gross sales turnover of a total of 1,800 shops located on the 30 SES Spar European Shopping Center sites in Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Hungary, Croatia and the Czech Republic continued to grow in the past year. With sales up 18.5% and a €3.1 billion turnover compared to 2021, SES enjoyed a record year in terms of development since its inception in 2007. In 2022, SES invested in numerous sustainable measures such as the large-scale installation of photovoltaic systems and the ongoing interim expansion of e-charging stations, currently amounting to 175 charging points coupled with extensive LED retrofitting.

Situated in the southwestern city of Sandanski, Kaufland’s first Bulgarian retail park spans over 5,000 sqm. The German retail chain invested over BGN 2 million  ( €1 million) in the outdoor retail area, the company said in a press release.