In the dense forests of the picturesque Danube island of Persin, where endangered species like the sea eagle and pygmy cormorant reside, lies the grim remnants of a communist-era death camp in Belene, Bulgaria. From 1949 to 1959, hundreds of individuals considered "enemies of the regime" died from various forms of abuse in the camp, with some bodies being fed to pigs. Despite being largely forgotten twenty years after communism's collapse, only a small marble plaque remains to recount the camp's tragic history. As nostalgia for the past grows in Bulgaria and other former Soviet bloc nations, many are looking back fondly on the times when unemployment was low, food was affordable, and social security was strong, contrasting it with the current challenges of capitalism, including stagnant living standards, rampant corruption, and nepotism. Rumen Petkov, a former guard turned clerk at the only remaining prison on Persin island, mentioned that the negative aspects of the past have been overlooked. He noted that older individuals especially feel a strong sense of nostalgia, as they stand in front of the deteriorating buildings of a former jail that operated after the closure of a camp in 1959. During the 1980s, the communists imprisoned numerous ethnic Turks on the island for refusing to change their names to Bulgarian. Some young residents of the town of Belene, connected to the island by a pontoon bridge, also recall the past fondly, with one individual expressing that life was better before with more opportunities for travel and access to various goods. Currently, a significant portion of our earnings is allocated towards food expenses, as individuals with higher education levels struggle to find employment and are often forced to seek opportunities abroad. In Moscow, a number of Soviet-inspired restaurants have emerged in recent times, hosting events such as nostalgia nights where individuals don pioneer attire and groove to communist tunes. Popular choices for birthday festivities include Soviet Champagne and Red October Chocolates. Furthermore, "USSR" merchandise like T-shirts and baseball caps are commonly spotted throughout the country during the summer months. While there is little genuine desire for the restoration of old regimes, analysts argue that apathy is a significant consequence. Bulgarian sociologist Vladimir Shopov expressed that the negative impact of nostalgia is that it diminishes the motivation for meaningful change. Disenchantment with democracy is widespread across former communist eastern Europe, with pollsters noting a significant mistrust of the elites responsible for the region's European Union membership. A September regional poll conducted by the U.S. Pew Research Center revealed a substantial decline in support for democracy and capitalism in countries such as Ukraine, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Hungary. The poll indicated that only 30 percent of Ukrainians approved of the transition to democracy in 2009, compared to 72 percent in 1991. In Bulgaria and Lithuania, the percentage of the population affected by the economic downturn decreased from almost three-quarters in 1991. Surveys conducted by Freedom House, a U.S.-based human rights group, indicate regression or stagnation in corruption, governance, independent media, and civil society in the new EU member states. The global economic crisis has negatively impacted the region, leading to the end of several years of growth and challenging the implementation of neoliberal capitalism advocated by the West. Instead of aspiring to catch up with wealthier Western countries, people now feel a sense of injustice due to the widening wealth gap. In Hungary, where the economic crisis hit hard, a recent survey by Szonda Ipsos revealed that 70 percent of adults who were already present in 1989 expressed disappointment with the results of the regime change. People in the former Yugoslav countries are feeling nostalgic for the socialist era of Josip Broz Tito, a time when they could travel across Europe without a visa. Belgrade pensioner Koviljka Markovic, 70, reflects on the past, stating that everything was better then with no street crime, secure jobs, and salaries that allowed for a decent living. In Bulgaria, some are starting to view the 33-year rule of the late dictator Todor Zhivkov as a golden era compared to the corruption and crime that followed his downfall. More than 60 percent of people believe that life was better in the past, despite long shopping queues, reliance on social connections for valuable goods, restrictions on items like jeans and Coca Cola, and lengthy waits to purchase a car. Historians Andrei Pantev and Bozhidar Gavrilov noted in a book on influential Bulgarians that some valued security over freedom. Bulgaria, even three years after joining the EU, still has the lowest average monthly salary and pension in the union. In comparison, Poland and the Czech Republic, which joined the EU in 2004, also have lower incomes than western Europe. A 2008 Gallup survey ranked Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania among the top 10 most unhappy countries in the world. Zsofia Kis, a 23-year old student in Budapest, expressed that the previous generation, our parents, were much more content with what they had compared to the current trend of wanting more of everything. She noted that communist regimes artificially kept unemployment low. After enduring two decades of difficult reforms, the majority of people are now hesitant to make further sacrifices required for a complete overhaul of the economy and judiciary. This has led to demoralization and an increase in support for political parties that promise strong leadership. Former KGB agent and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has referred to the collapse of the Soviet Union as the most significant geopolitical event of the century. Critics of the Kremlin believe that this sentiment reflects a gradual revival of Soviet ideals in order to justify the government's restrictions on the media and opposition parties. Historian Nikita Petrov from the Memorial human rights group has noted a trend of glorifying the Soviet past as a deliberate strategy to make the former regime appear more appealing to the current generation. In Bulgaria, oligarchs who dominate entire industries have risen from the ranks of the former communist party and its feared secret services. The names of corrupt politicians and crime leaders are widely known, yet Bulgaria has not successfully prosecuted any high-ranking officials for corruption and has only imprisoned one crime boss since 1989. No one has been held accountable for the communist-era atrocities. Commonly used terms among ordinary Bulgarians include "dalavera," a Turkish term for fraud, "mutri," a derogatory term for unsightly mafia members, and "mente," referring to counterfeit goods. There is a growing disillusionment among the public about the possibility of achieving success through honest means. According to Boriana Dimitrova of Bulgarian polling agency Alpha Research, success is seen as illegal, especially in the Balkans, Europe's poorest region, where powerful parallel structures go unchecked. Some believe that the old regime, while oppressive, at least maintained law and order. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov of the center-right populist GERB party won a landslide election in Bulgaria in July by promising to end the culture of impunity. Analysts believe that in the face of public dissatisfaction and economic downturn, only populist governments can thrive in the region. Ivan Krastev of Sofia's Liberal Strategies Institute stated that there is a high level of distrust towards the political elite and institutions, making it difficult to convince people to support unpopular governments. Some in Bulgaria believe that the West is being hypocritical by accepting former communist officials into positions of power. The election of Irina Bokova, a former communist apparatchik, as head of UNESCO in September was seen as a clear example of this hypocrisy. Bokova's past connections to communism helped her advance in her diplomatic career in the 1990s. Despite this, some eastern Europeans feel that they have successfully embraced capitalist ideals, particularly in their pursuit of material wealth. During the prosperous years, a significant portion of the loans obtained were used to purchase luxurious items such as fancy cars, yachts, flat screen TVs, designer clothing, plastic surgeries, and trips to exotic locations. The trend of emulating Western lifestyles even extended to naming babies with Western names and the proliferation of reality TV shows like "Big Brother." Renowned Bulgarian artist Nikola Manev, living in Paris, observed, "Bulgaria is increasingly adopting American culture. People now speak to me in English on the phone and I see restaurants with names like Miami. Can't we preserve our own cultural identity?" He observed that despite the new buildings, shops, and shiny cars on the surface, people have become increasingly unhappy and aggressive. He suggested spiritual remedies for this issue. This fall, tickets for Sofia's theaters are selling out weeks in advance, a phenomenon not seen in many years.