Atrium European Real Estate published an update on trading for the three months ended 31 March 2020 and an update on trading in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. A progressive reopening has been launched from 4 May in Poland and is planned from 11 May in the Czech Republic and 3 June Slovakia, although it is too early to say when the company’s assets will return to full operation.

Take-up on the Bratislava office market amounted to 26,000 sqm in Q1 2020 which represents a 58% decrease compared to Q4 2019. The Bratislava Research Forum (JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield and Colliers International) published the office market figures for Q1 2020.

PNK Group, an international industrial real estate developer, concluded the sale of two of its modern industrial buildings with a total area of 45,000 square meters in its industrial park near Bratislava. The facilities in PNK Park Sered’, providing a regional base for Polish fast-fashion conglomerate LPP and German-based manufacturer in automotive industry Wegu, were acquired by the REICO IS ČS on behalf of ČS nemovitostní fond, for €30.6 million.

Penta Real Estate completed the Business Centrum Tesla 2 office building project in Košice by selling it to the Austrian company European City Estates. The BCT 2 provides 14,600 square meters of office space. The largest tenants include the companies T-Systems Slovakia, Deloitte, Diebold-Nixdorf and Colonnade. On the seller side, the transaction was advised by JLL and the purchase price was not disclosed upon agreement between the parties.

IEE Sensing Slovakia has expanded at CTPark Košice. The manufacturer of automotive sensing systems has opened a brand new space, which will house the company's R&D Center. The company will also run its main European warehouse from the park. The premises built according to the strictest energy criteria were provided by CTP.

The preliminary investment volumes for the CEE region for Q1 2020 have reached ca. €3.7 billion, despite the onset of COVID-19 in CEE at the beginning of March. This volume was significantly boosted by the ca. €1.3 billion acquisition of the Residomo portfolio in the Czech Republic by Heimstaden, however, it still represents a y-o-y growth of 68% over Q1 2019 (ca. €2.2 billion) and 28% over Q1 2018 (ca. €2.9 billion).

As the global pandemic progresses across borders and within countries, Cushman & Wakefield’s EMEA market research experts shared what they are seeing on the ground in their countries.

As part of the fight against the coronavirus, many firms have decided to temporarily cease their production to ensure the health of their employees.

Colliers International has been assigned to assist YIT Slovakia in leasing the Pradiareň 1900 office building. After the opening, Colliers International REMS will be assisting the developer with property management.

The government of Slovakia is opening some shops that have been closed for the past two weeks, while the country's parliament will debate and possibly pass the cabinet’s proposals to help companies and the self-employed. We asked Andrej Leontiev LL.M., Partner at Taylor Wessing to comment on the aid package.