The construction sector in Bulgaria, and building construction in particular, was not affected as hard as others by the COVID-19 crisis, according to a report by the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association.

Austrian developer Supernova has laid the foundation stone for a €70 million project aimed at the expansion of the Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik shopping centre in Ljubljana. Upon the completion of the project, Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik will become the biggest shopping centre in Slovenia.

In the first half of 2020, the supply of modern class A, B and C office space in Sofia increased by 1%, reaching 2,315,600 sqm, according to Colliers International. The recently completed building 3 of Garitage Park accounted for much of the growth in the office stock.

The Belgrade city government has invited bids for the sale of the Sava congress centre at a minimum price of€ 27.42 million.

Law firm Kinstellar has successfully represented OTP Bank and its Bulgarian subsidiary, DSK Bank, in negotiating a €25 million loan for the construction and operation of Balkan Business Center, a major office complex in Sofia.

The construction industry in most of Southeastern Europe will be bruised by the pandemic effects this year, causing a drop in construction outputs. The two exceptions are Croatia and Bulgaria where civil engineering could compensate for the losses elsewhere. Already in 2021, we are likely to see positive growth rates in all 5 countries, according to the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association

Supernova Group has opened its fifteenth shopping centre in Croatia in the town of Požega, following an investment of €16 million. The 11,000 sqm retail park includes 16 stores and a restaurant.

Aviv Park Zrenjanin, a 25,000 sqm open-air shopping centre in the Vojvodina region of Serbia, has officially started operating under the management of BIG Shopping Centers. The new operator acquired the building earlier this year.

Cyprus-based real estate developer Everty Group intends to invest up to €100 million in Bulgaria during the next four years. The announcement follows the group's first major investment in Bulgaria, the acquisition of the 40,000 sqm Perform Business Centre in central Sofia back in 2019.

Developer MPC Properties has opened the Ušće Tower Two office building in Belgrade. The 22-storey building offers 23,200 sqm of leasable space. The developer will be seeking BREEAM certification for the property that is located in New Belgrade’s central business district.