Our experience

The IT sector in Macedonia is very dynamic. In the past several years, many international IT companies have opened subsidiaries in Macedonia because there are high quality software programming engineers in Macedonia, while the salary levels are relatively low, compared to the western markets.

We have provided legal support for the set-up of the business operation in Macedonia of several high profile international IT companies. Our services covered:

• the incorporation of the local subsidiaries and opening of their bank accounts;
• preparation of the necessary labour-related documentation and registration of employees before the competent authorities;
• legal support in financial transactions for enabling smooth initial funding of the companies (equity and loan transactions); and
• preparation of all other mandatory internal acts and performing all necessary registrations, in order to ensure full compliance of the IT companies with the Macedonian legislation. 

We are specialised in preparing of contracts related to IT services, in accordance with the international best practices and the applicable Macedonian regulations. For our clients we have prepared and reviewed:

• Software development contracts;
• Software licensing contracts;
• End user licence agreements (EULAs);
• Web development contracts;
• SAAS contracts;
• Cloud service and hosting contracts;
• Contracts related to software IP rights.

We have performed detailed legal compliance health checks of several IT companies in Macedonia. Our health check projects were focused primarily on the labour law issues specific to the IT companies (regulation of overtime work, work from home, use of recreational zones, etc.), as well as the level of compliance of the companies with all other applicable legislation in Macedonia.  

We provide full scope legal support to some of the biggest IT companies in Macedonia on on-going basis. Our support includes advice on corporate and finance law issues, compliance with applicable regulations, assistance in with IT specific and other business contracts, assistance in labour law issues, representation before courts, etc.

We are the exclusive provider of legal services to the biggest international hotel brand present in Macedonia. We provide full scope legal services to the hotel on on-going basis.

Our work was especially challenging in the process of the set-up of the operations of the hotel. We provided legal support to the hotel for:

• obtaining operational license for the hotel, in accordance with the accommodation and catering regulations in Macedonia;
• obtaining the necessary approvals for the operations of the hotel restaurant, in accordance with the applicable food safety regulations;
• obtaining the necessary approvals for the fitness, spa and massage services in the hotel, in accordance with the local healthcare regulations;
• preparation of the necessary labour-related documentation and registration of employees, regulation of overtime work and redistribution of the realised worktime.

We provide legal support to a number of clients in the energy sector.

Electricity market

• We provide full scope legal support to some of the biggest traders and suppliers with electricity in Macedonia on on-going basis. Our support is primarily focused on licensing before the local energy regulatory body and the electricity market operator, as well as compliance with applicable energy regulations. Our assistance also includes advice on various areas of corporate and finance law, assistance in preparation, negotiations and conclusion of electricity trading contracts (EFET) and other business contracts, assistance in labour law issues, assistance in tax compliance, representation before courts and regulatory bodies on the electricity market, etc.
• We provided general legal and immigration services to a big international energy company that conducted the biggest wind-power project in Macedonia for installation and maintenance of wind turbines.
• We are the legal advisor of two international companies that perform revitalisation and maintenance of hydro power plants in Macedonia. Our services for these companies cover full-scope legal support.
• We give legal advices to the Operator of the electricity distribution system in Macedonia on more complex issues related to the energy regulations, corporate restructuring and finance regulations, as well as the applicable rules for the statute of limitation and forced collection of utilities debt.

Fuels and oil derivatives

• We have analysed the local regulatory requirements for trade with aviation fuel for one of the world's largest suppliers of aviation fuel products and services.
• We provide legal opinions on regular basis to the biggest fuel supplier in Macedonia for more complex legal issues related to energy regulations, environmental regulations and real-estate legislation. 

We have provided legal support for the set-up of the business operation in Macedonia of a big international customer engagement BPO company listed on the NYSE. Our services covered:

• Review, negotiations and closing of the State Aid Agreement concluded between the Macedonian government and the client;
• The incorporation of the local subsidiary of the client and opening of its bank accounts;
• Preparation of the necessary labour-related documentation, with a special focus on proper structuring of the salary compensations for night work, considering that the call centre services are mostly realised at night due to the time difference;
• Registration of employees before the competent authorities;
• Legal support in financial transactions for enabling smooth initial funding of the company (equity and loan transactions); and
• Preparation of all other mandatory internal acts and performing all necessary registrations, in order to ensure full compliance of the BPO company with the Macedonian legislation. 

Our support to the BPO client was extended to on-going legal support on corporate and finance issues, compliance with applicable regulations, assistance with drafting and review of business contracts, assistance in labour law issues, etc.

Several international companies in the automotive industry have chosen Macedonia for realising Greenfield investments, by opening production facilities in the Macedonian Technological Industrial Development Zones. We are proud with the fact that we are the preferred legal advisor to the majority of such foreign investors.

We have provided full legal support for the set-up of the business operation in Macedonia to the biggest foreign investor in the automotive industry, who is at the same time one of the biggest employers in the country. Our services covered:

• Review, negotiations and closing of the State Aid Agreement concluded between the Macedonian government and the client;
• Performance of all necessary legal work for the plant construction, including review of the lease contract for the land concluded with the government, obtaining of the necessary construction and environmental permits for the construction activities, as well as preparation of the contracts for design, construction and supervision for the plant as per the FIDIC standards;
• The incorporation of the local subsidiary of the client and opening of its bank accounts;
• Preparation of the necessary labour-related documentation and registration of employees before the competent authorities;
• Legal support in financial transactions for enabling smooth initial funding of the company (equity and loan transactions); and
• Preparation of all other mandatory internal acts and performing all necessary registrations, in order to ensure full compliance of the company with the Macedonian legislation. 

In addition, we provide on-going legal services to most of the foreign investors from the automotive industry present in Macedonia:

• Some of the foreign investors have fully out-sourced their legal activities to our law-firm. For these clients we provide full scope legal support on day-to-day basis in all areas of the business law, including corporate and finance law, corporate secretarial, labour regulations, compliance issues, assistance with drafting and review of business contracts, state aid assistance, representation before courts, etc.
• With some of the investors, we cooperate on more complex legal issues, by providing legal advices and support related to corporate restructurings and finance transactions, labour law projects, etc;
• We have performed the full liquidation process for one of the investors who has decided to close its activities in Macedonia.

Papazoski and Mishev Law Firm provides on-going legal support to number of companies and foreign investors in the food and agricultural business. In this respect:

• We have advised a foreign investor in the procedure for lease of a state owned agricultural land, previously leased by company that went in bankrupt. Within the process we have assisted the investors in a procedure for purchase of the instalments within the bankruptcy procedure and the subsequent procedure for leasing the state-owned land from the government through direct settlement. Ever since, we provide on-going legal support to this client.
• We have advised a large Turkish investor in the procedure for acquisition of the largest Macedonian dairy factory. The complex procedure included buying the receivables from the creditor banks, buying the assets from the bankruptcy procedure and acquisition of the assets within the enforcement procedure. Following the acquisition, we provide full-scope on-going legal assistance for this client which includes corporate and finance law, corporate secretarial, labour regulations, compliance issues, assistance with drafting and review of business contracts, preparation of the agreements with the farmers and the retailers, representation before courts, etc.
• We are providing legal support to the largest raw tobacco producer in Macedonia. Among the other, we have successfully assisted this client in the procedure for transformation of the company from a JSC to LLC. Ever since we are providing on-going legal support for this client.
• We are providing on-going legal support to the biggest rice factory in Macedonia, Turkish investment. The support includes corporate secretarial, labour regulations, compliance issues, assistance with drafting and review of business contracts, preparation of the agreements with the farmers and the retailers, representation before courts, support with the export procedures, etc.
• We are providing on-going legal support to one of the biggest company in the business of production and trade of seeds and orchards in Macedonia.
• We ware engaged to perform a legal due diligence of a Macedonian farming company near Skopje. The assistance also included legal support in the negotiation with the seller.
• We have assisted an Italian foreign investor in a procedure for buying vineyards within the bankruptcy procedure.
• We are providing legal support to the local retailer of the largest energy drinks producer in the world. The services includes the compliance support in respect of the labelling requirements under the local legislation, as well as the regime for selling of energy drinks under such legislation.   

We have assisted a client in drafting of a Joint Venture Agreement with a lessor of a state-owned land in Macedonia in respect of a joint farming production.   

Papazoski and Mishev Law Firm provides on-going legal support to number of companies and foreign investors in the medical business. In this respect:

• We are providing on-going legal support to one of the biggest hospitals in Macedonia – Turkish investment. The services includes corporate secretarial, labour regulations, compliance and licensing issues, assistance with drafting and review of business contracts, representation before courts, etc.
• We have performed a full-scope legal due diligence of the largest Macedonian hospital on behalf of a foreign investor.
• We have provided legal support to the biggest company in Macedonia in the business of cryopreservation and storage of umbilical cord stem cells. The support included assistance in the procedures for debt collection, as well as representation in the public procurement procedure.
• We have assisted a large pharmaceutical company in the procedure for transfer of personal data abroad. The assistance included representation in front of the Macedonian data protection authorities, as well as obtaining the respective approval for such transfer.
• We have provided on-going legal support to one of the biggest company in the world for multi-level distribution of health, nutritional and personal care products. During the process we have supported the client in organising and drafting of the respective contracts with the local agents and retailers.  

Papazoski and Mishev Law Firm provides on-going legal support to number of companies and foreign investors in the mining business. Thought the years we have built strong competencies in the industry. In this respect:

• We are providing on-going support to one of the largest mining endeavours in the country related with the setting-up of a gold mine in Macedonia. The services include full-scope legal support for the day-to-day legal issues of the company, support in obtaining exploration and exploitation concessions, support in obtaining permit for exploitation, support with the expropriation of the privately owned land within the concession, etc.
• Papazoski and Mishev provide on-going legal support to the largest and oldest marble mine in Macedonia. The support covers the compliance issues, as well as corporate restructuring.
• We are providing legal support (including immigration services) to the largest travertine and onyx mine in Macedonia.
• We have provided legal services to the only gypsum company in Macedonia, related with the corporate restructuring and compliance issues.
• We have provided a legal support to a Bulgarian mining company related with a review of collateral contracts with a Macedonian mining company.

We have assisted a client in a preparation and negotiation of a Joint Venture Agreement related with the exploration activities in Macedonia.

Papazoski and Mishev Law Firm has provided legal support to a number of foreign and domestic clients in the transportation business. In this respect:

• We have advised a large Austrian airline company regarding compliance issues;
• We have advised a large Italian airports operator in respect of the procedure for obtaining consent from a Macedonian airline company for dismantling of an airplane left in an Italian airport,
• We have provided an on-going support to a Macedonian transportation company,
• We have assisted a client in a procedure for obtaining of a transportation license from the Macedonian Ministry for Transport and Communication,
• We have assisted a foreign investor in the acquisition of one of the largest car diallers in the country.