 Bulgaria 's relationship with its neighbours since 1990 has generally been good . The country also plays an important role in promoting regional security . Bulgaria has an active tripartite economic and diplomatic collaboration with Romania and Greece , maintains strong relations with EU members , the United States , and Russia , and continues to improve its traditionally good ties with China and Vietnam . The HIV trial in Libya , which followed after the imprisonment of several Bulgarian nurses in Benghazi in 1998 , had a significant impact on relations between Bulgaria , the European Union , and Libya . It resulted in the release of the nurses by Muammar Gaddafi 's government , which was granted a contract to receive a nuclear reactor and weapons supplies from France in exchange . 
