The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has successfully subscribed to a €67 million ticket as part of an inaugural eight-year €600 million green bond issuance by VGP NV, a pan-European provider of logistics and semi-industrial real estate. EBRD’s investment will support the development of sustainable semi-industrial and logistics parks in Hungary, Latvia, Romania and the Slovak Republic.

Wood & Company, together with its JV partner Tatra Asset Management, has announced the acquisition of the Aupark Bratislava shopping centre in Slovakia from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. The completion of the transaction is expected during the first half of this year and is subject to standard conditions precedent, such as competition clearance.

Eurovea 2 obtained one of the largest real estate loans in Slovakia in recent years. Funding in the amount of €116 million will be used for the construction of the extension of the Eurovea shopping centre and the adjacent Pribinova X office building. Construction work by JTRE on both buildings is in full swing. The loan is provided by a syndicate of banks led by Tatra banka, together with Slovenská sporiteľňa and UniCredit Bank. The contract documentation was prepared by Dentons.

Avison Young has significantly increased its CEE presence in recent months and the company is planning further expansion. Gerry Hughes, Principal and President of Avison Young Europe talked to Property Forum about the firm’s strategy for CEE and shared his expectations regarding the future of the advisory business.

CBRE has been mandated to manage the industrial portfolio of Cromwell European Real Estate Trust (CEREIT) in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

CTP has announced the acquisition of an industrial park in Žilina, consisting of existing buildings and land for further development in a strategic location near Žilina airport. The new park will provide a leasable space of 145,000 sqm after completion. CTP plans to invest €200 million over the next two years to more than double its current Slovak portfolio of 460,000 sqm in 12 locations to 1 million sqm of lettable space.

MOL Group announces the acquisition of 100% of Normbenz Slovakia s.r.o. by Slovnaft that includes 16 service stations in Slovakia operated under the Lukoil brand. MOL has also concluded a deal with Marché International AG to buy the company that operates 9 restaurants in Hungary under the Marché brand. The agreements fit the Group’s “Shape Tomorrow” 2030+ updated long-term strategy, which lays special emphasis on the development of consumer services.

At the end of 2020, there was more than 39 million sqm of modern logistic industrial space in the region. More than one half (53%) of this stock is in Poland, while the Czech Republic with more than 9 million sqm accounts for about 23% of the Central European market. Cushman & Wakefield analysed the trends in the industrial property sector in five Central European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia).

Mountfield, Europe’s largest specialised retailer of garden machinery, swimming pools and home and garden equipment, has chosen the Shopping Palace centre as the site of its new store in Slovakia. Managing the shopping centre since 2013, the MVGM team has created a compact retail space for Mountfield, which covers 1,500 square metres and also includes a warehouse and suitable office space. On the occasion, MVGM summarised the state of Slovakia’s retail market.

The InTeFi investment group has become the majority owner of the Cassovar Business Center I building in Košice following a €30 million acquisition. The building comprises 13,500 sqm of office space and a 7,000 sqm shopping gallery.