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Slovenia will be one of those small Central European States joining in May next year and its politicians are emphasising the need to keep Slovenia's identity and sovereignty while at the same time being European.. ALojz Peterle, a former Slovenian Foreign Minister, talks about his experience as member of the convention on the future of Europe.

Slovakia has its first Gallery of Naive art - located in an old slovak water-mill. It highlights over 100 paintings and sculptures by major Slovak naive artists.

Seventy-seven percent of Czechs last weekend said "YES" to E.U membership. But just days after the Czechs held one referendum, politicians are already talking about another - on the future of Europe as outlined in the new European Constitution unveiled in Thessaloniki this week. So what do Czechs make of the blueprint for a new Europe? Do they want for instance, a Powerful European President? Two Czech students voice their views

As the debate over the constitution gathers pace tensions between the larger and smaller countries of Europe have grown. Paul Luif is an analyst at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs and smaller states are have some right to be concerned.

At first sight the tiny vilage of Brhlovce in western Slovakia might not not seem worth a visit. There's no mobile phone signal, no water supply and just a handful of houses. So what is it that draws thousands of tourists to the village every year? For a start the accomodation is quite unusual...

In a referendum last weekend 78% of Poles said a big 'yes' to EU membership. But is the Polish government stable enough to now push through much needed reform ahead of EU entry?

A petition for a nuclear-free Europe is currently underway in Austria. It's been organised by Greenpeace. The environmental group wants to do away with the Eurotom treaty which regulates nuclear power in Europe. The agreement dates back to the 1950s and may remain unchanged as part of the EU constitution. Greenpeace is also asking Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel to form an alliance of anti nuclear states.

Anti-nuclear activists in Austria and Hungary are urgently calling for Hungary's only nuclear power plant, Paks to be shut down. The calls for closure follow a series of incidents in which radiation reportedly escaped from the plant. Still a recent survey of the Median Research Institute shows -that only 22 per cent of Hungarians are in favour of an immediate closure of the Paks plant.

The second largest of the E.U candidate countries, the Czech Republic, has been holding a referendum this weekend on whether to join the European Union next year. But as they vote it remains unclear how many of them may in future choose to exercise one of their key rights as citizens of the union - the freedom to work in other EU states.

Poland like Austria has no nuclear power stations. But there are currently 72 power stations in Europe - including 2 in the Czech Republic, 2 in Slovakia, 1 in Hungary and 1 in Slovenia. The Krsko nuclear plant in Slovenia produces nearly 50 % of the country's electricity. But Greenpeace says Krsko doesn't meet EU security standards. It accuses the government of ignoring both demands from the EU and the fears of the local community about a nuclear accident. Are these claims justified?