Business Week reported that through its relatively low wages but qualified labour force Bulgaria managed to attract major international investors.

An article named Bulgaria Lures Yankee Dollars said that the US ranked as a top investor in Bulgaria. The development resulted from the re-location of activities of major companies like Hewlett Packard, Business Week reported.

HP opened a major customer service centre in Bulgaria's capital that would provide employment for 1000 people. Another US company, energy supplier AES started working on a thermal power plant project in the country.

Such major projects could turn the US in Bulgaria's major foreign investor for 2006, Business Week reported. US ambassador to Bulgaria John Beyrle said that “this year has seen something like the springtime of American investment in Bulgaria”.

In 2005 the US ranked ninth among the biggest foreign investors with its 1.1 billion euro provided for developments in Bulgaria.

Representatives of US companies said that Bulgaria was attractive because of the qualified workers, especially in the computer technology sector. The low wages added to the country's appeal.

Because of the two factors Bulgaria ranked 15th in A.T. Kearney's global services location index. From all countries in Central and Eastern Europe only the Czech Republic performed better and received the seventh position in the index, Business Week reported.