into the 21st century. The modern Bulgarian state, however, officially recognized the "Big Excursion" as ethnic cleansing in 2012. The migration of Bulgarians of all ethnicities seeking economic opportunity to Turkey following the fall of Communism blurred together with the "Big Excursion" in the eyes of many and bolstered the argument that the exodus had been voluntary. Many in Bulgaria further insist on treating the "Big Excursion" merely as the "end-point" of the Revival Process. Legacy The "Big Excursion" is the least known of the late-20th century ethnic cleansings in the Balkans, and it is not widely remembered outside of Bulgaria. Even within the country, the events of 1989 are not particularly well known. Academic Tomasz Kamusella writes that "The generations of Bulgarians born after 1989 know next to nothing about the [Revival Process] and the 1989 ethnic cleansing." Bulgaria In 2012, the Bulgarian government officially recognized the "Big Excursion" as ethnic cleansing, and called for the prosecution of those responsible. However, that recognition was largely ignored by scholars, and to date Bulgaria does not officially commemorates the ethnic cleansing and the state has not brought criminal charges against any individual involved in carrying out the "Big Excursion". Indeed, Bulgaria has even frequently commemorated the now-deceased Todor Zhivkov on the anniversary of his birth, with former prime minister Boyko Borisov even referring to Zhivkov as the "Great Daddy of the Bulgarian Nation." Less than a week after the 2012 recognition of the event as ethnic cleansing by the Bulgarian Parliament, the far-right ultranationalist political party, Ataka, introduced a new bill officially contesting the declaration. According to the bill's authors the declaration and recognition of the 1989 ethnic cleansing would represent a "boost" for "'separatists'", presumably in reference to the nation's Turks and Muslims. This reasoning is in-line with that of Bulgarian nationalists more generally, who often cast the Turkish and Muslim minority in the "role of perennial anti-Bulgarian separatists." Turkey Even in Turkey, few accounts of excursion have been published. What books have been produced primarily regard the individual accounts of expellees, which have typically been printed in limited runs. See also Bulgarian Muslims Bulgarian Turks Bulgarian Turks in Turkey Crimean Tatars in Bulgaria Muhacir Pomaks Romani people in Bulgaria Turks in Bulgaria Turkish National Liberation Movement in Bulgaria Notes References Bibliography External links The Declaration Condemning the Attempted Forced Assimilation of Bulgarian Muslims (2012) Bulgaria and NATO Events in