Marks and spencer To Invest 50m Euro In Expansion On The Balkans 14/03/2008
The largest British clothing retailer Marks&Spencer Group Plc set up a joint venture with the Greek Marinopoulos Group to expand its business in Eastern Europe, Bloomberg reported on February 29. The British company acquired 50 per cent of Marks&Spencer Marinopoulos BV, which manages 38 outlets under franchise in Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Switzerland, for  50 million euro. Marks&Spencer plans to open 50 new outlets on the Balkans in the coming years, Bloomberg said. The acquisition is a part of Marks&Spencer's expansion and investment strategy, which includes boosting the share of international revenues to between 15 and 20 per cent over the next five years. "Our joint venture with Marinopoulos will mean we can really put M&S on the map in this part of the world,''... more

Office Space In Bulgarias Capital Increases To Nearly 600 000 Sq M In First Half Of 2007 12/03/2008
Office space in Sofia increased by ten per cent in the first half of 2007, compared to the same period of 2006. Research from Colliers International Bulgaria showed that Sofia now had a total of 606.500 sq m of class A and B office space. According to the report, most of the office space in Sofia was located in the city’s suburbs. Currently more than 330 000 sq m of office space is being constructed in the suburbs. Rental prices continued increasing in the first half of 2007. In the suburbs, rent for class A property varies between 12 and 26 euro per sq m, per month. The office space market is growing, but it is mainly driven by companies’ relocations and expansion rather than new international entrants in the country, Colliers Bulgaria Managing Director Atanas Garov said. more

Energy Busters 14/03/2008
Real estate development is a lucrative large-scale business. So it's unsurprising that some greedy investors have an interest in exploiting every square centimetre of their plot. Unfortunately, this attitude undermines the appeal of a building as well as the comfort and happiness of its residents. The sector's rapid development, particularly the "get rich quick" opportunities in Bulgaria, resulted in developers failing to heed the importance of quality construction. Thankfully, more intelligent investors are emerging who realise that sensible planning and energy conservation do not necessarily clash with the search for profits. Revised building regulations Legislation has also propelled change. Amendments to the Law on Regional Development, approved in 2006, stipulate that... more