Transport (including shipping) in Bulgaria

Boyanov & Co. has a ‘deep understanding of aviation industry specifics’ and acts for foreign lessors on aircraft lease and acquisition projects with Bulgarian airlines, in addition to regulatory issues, financing and security matters. The team represented Wizz Air in two landmark appeals regarding an unjust discrimination challenge to Sofia Airport’s terminal charges, highlighting its litigation capability in this sector. Praised as ‘one of the best aircraft finance lawyers’, head of commercial Raina Dimitrova leads the practice, which also counts public procurement procedures in railway and urban transport in its caseload.

Counting BMF Port Burgas, BalkanTel and KG Maritime Shipping among its key list of clients, Georgiev, Todorov & Co’s diverse caseload includes project developments, public procurements and concessions, in addition to the implementation of policies and litigation. Alexander Pachamanov leads the practice group and focuses on regulatory, corporate and competition matters in this space, while real estate and construction partner Miglena Peneva handles major infrastructure projects. Tsvetelina Dimitrova, who advises clients across the shipping and vehicle manufacturing industries, is a key member of the team.

Kambourov & Partners has demonstrable experience in large-scale projects, pertaining to metro lines, as evidence by its advice to consortium HSS-Monolit Sofia on a public procurement procedure for the design and construction of a new section of the Sofia metro, as well as highways and port concessions, among others. The team continues to expand its expertise in the automotive sector, with new client gains including Toyota. Stefan Tzakov focuses on state-related matters in this space and leads the practice alongside Atanas Shopov, who specialises in infrastructure projects.

Notably, Dimitrov, Petrov & Co handles contentious matters arising out of the aviation sector, as the team’s caseload includes defending Bulgarian and international carriers in disputes concerning carriage contracts and bill of ladings, among others. On the non-contentious side, the practice focuses on day-to-day activities and transactions, including advising Alex 96 on the acquisition of a Gulfstream G150 business jet. Team leader and newly promoted partner Donka Stoyanova combines her expertise in competition law and dispute resolution to handle antitrust and unfair competition cases in this sector.

Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov has an impressive client list which includes well-known airlines including Ryanair, Wizz Air and Turkish Airlines, among others. The interdisciplinary practice is well-placed to advise on the life cycle of major infrastructure and transport projects, from corporate, financing, public procurements and real estate to regulatory and dispute resolution. Practice co-leader and M&A partner Zdravka Ugrinova assists transport-sector clients with acquisitions, concessions and other corporate matters, and fellow practice head Milan Pandev focuses on public procurement procedures.

Schoenherr (in cooperation with Stoyanov & Tsekova) leverages the expertise of other practice groups across the firm to advise clients in the transport and logistics sectors on matters involving M&A, construction, project financing and regulatory issues, as well as litigation mandates. Head of regulatory Stefana Tsekova acts for clients in the Balkan region and Eastern Europe on a range of transport-related matters, and is supported by associates Radoslav Chemshirov and Dimitar Kairakov, who are key members of the firm’s regulatory group.