newstodate.aero

Apr 24, 2020 (newstodate): Not everything touched by a Chinese hand - or Chinese capital - turns into gold: Slovenia's Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport serves as a wake-up call.
   In 2019, the Chinese company SHS Aviation Slovenia won a tender for commercial management of the airport for a period of 15 years.
   The contract was, however, soon abrogated as disputes arose between the Slovenian state and the Chinese investor, with Slovenia claiming that SHS Aviation failed to meet its contractual obligations.
   The airport was then put under a caretaker management contract with the Slovenian state-owned company DRI Investment Management Ltd., but a new tender process has now been opened.  
   According to Slovenian media, three yet-unnamed companies have filed Letters of Interest for participating in a fresh round of tendering aiming at securing the sustained development of the airport and a commercial management contract.
   SHS Aviation Slovenia was also behind VLM Airlines Slovenia that obtained its AOC by the Slovenian Civil in May 2017 with plans to launch services from Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport on a route network initially comprising Belgrade, Berlin, Hamburg, London, Podgorica, Split, Zurich, Xian, Chongqing and Nanchang.
   This project, however, also folded its wings already in September 2018 together with its sister airline, VLM Airlines.