Bulgaria's government canceled the 35-year Plovdiv Airport concession after the preferred bidder China's HNA Group and Dutch-registered Plovdiv Airport Invest withdrew their offer.

Due to the significant difference in offers from first and second-ranked participants the transport ministry to decide whether to cancel the procedure or to award the contract to the second-placed consortium. Bulgaria's government said 'It is also not viable to award such a long-term contract after holding the procedure under the old concession law, which was recently amended in order to be in line with EU legislation'.

The HNA Group - Plovdiv Airport Invest tie-up pledged to invest 79.1 million euro where the second-ranked participant Trakia Economic Zone and local transport and logistics company PIMK offered to invest 65.5 million euro.