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What do UFOs, communism and Bulgaria have in common?

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Juri Rescheto at the Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria
July 31, 2025

A concrete UFO will be the backdrop for a music festival in the mountains of Bulgaria. The monument, built to honor the Communist Party, is a reminder of days gone by. According to polls, a third of Bulgarians want to see that era return.

Bulgaria, a country in Eastern Europe, was under socialist rule until the revolution of 1989. While the country is now a democracy, a survey shows that about a third of the population would choose to go back to socialism. That nostalgia extends to parts of Bulgarian architecture. One of the country's most prominent and probably most eye-catching relics is this UFO-shaped building called the Buzludzha Monument, located in central Bulgaria. To this day, the timeworn structure holds a special place in the hearts of many Bulgarians.

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