In 2025, Gecić Law was again recognized at the very top of the European legal market, winning Law Firm of the Year: South Eastern Europe at The Lawyer European Awards 2025—for the third time.
At the same time, we strengthened our European footprint by establishing a permanent presence in Brussels—positioning our team closer to the institutions and processes that increasingly shape the rules for business across the Western Balkans and wider CEE.
That combination—recognition for sustained excellence and a sharper on-the-ground EU capability—frames Founding Partner Bogdan Gecić’s interview for Nedeljnik, a leading weekly magazine, where he speaks about trust, governance, trade, and the “right speed” of change in an era defined by regulatory acceleration and AI.
“Brussels is not a prestigious address. Brussels is infrastructure.”
In the interview, Bogdan explains the logic simply: if you advise on EU law, competition, trade, state aid, energy mechanisms, CBAM, or AI regulation, you can’t remain a distant observer. You need proximity to the institutions, language, and pace of EU decision-making—because decisions taken there increasingly define the operating environment here.
One of the most tangible examples is CBAM, which moves into its definitive regime from 2026, after a transitional period. For exporters and real-sector companies, this is not an abstract policy topic—it can change cost structures, pricing, and competitiveness. In Bogdan’s words, markets often feel the wave first and only later identify the cause.
Bogdan’s message is pragmatic: AI is powerful, but it also raises compliance, consumer, employment, and governance questions that belong in boardrooms—not just at tech events. The goal is to adopt AI with clear accountability and discipline, and to avoid both overreaction and improvisation.
In a climate often described as a “crisis of trust,” the interview makes a practical point: trust is built through clear accountability, internal controls, transparent decision-making, and a culture that can say “no” on time. Governance is not a slogan—it’s resilience in action.
Bogdan also discusses the value of serious international engagement—networks and institutions that create real operational advantages for clients. TerraLex, for example, spans 200+ jurisdictions across 120+ countries, enabling coordinated cross-border support. He also notes his election as Vice President of the Harvard Law School Association of Europe (HLSAE).
In the interview, Bogdan sets out three focus areas:
International trade (and practical solutions that keep the region competitive)
Governance linked to risk and controls (sanctions, tariffs, emissions-related measures)
“AI with meaning”—AI as a discipline that improves quality and consistency, with human responsibility kept clear
The takeaway is optimistic but demanding: if the region sets the right framework, it doesn’t need to remain Europe’s periphery—it can become a laboratory for practical, exportable solutions.
To access the online version of the interview in English (automated translation), click this link.
For a PDF version in English, click this link.
