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The Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla was in Austria recently and expressed regret that ethnic Germans, the Sudetendeutsch, were expelled from Czech lands and dispossessed at the end of World War II. Around 300 thousand Sudetendeutsch and their descendants now live in Austria. The post-war Czech Benes decrees, which authorised the expulsions, have chilled Austrian-Czech relations over recent years. But with EU enlargement just around the corner - a thaw is suddenly taking place.

The European Commission is telling Slovakia its not spending quickly enough. It says the country should work harder to spend funds - given to Slovakia to help prepare for European Union membership. So why are Slovaks slow at spending EU money?

Silvio Berlusconi upset many across Europe this week when he compared a European Parliamentarian to a Nazi concentration camp guard - but even before this happened on the second day of Italy's EU Presidency many were saying he's not a good example for countries preparing to join the EU. He's been given immunity from prosecution on charges of bribing judges and he controls much of Italy's mass media.

Slovenia's Lent Festival in Maribor has been host to many big band names in recent years. The event - with it's jazz rhythms and ballet performance on the banks of the river Drava in Maribor, turns SLovenia's second largest city into a cultural hub for a couple of week each year.

The International Day against Drug Addiction was observed this week and in Central Europe there was concern expressed that "recreational drug use and experimentation are becoming an integral part of youth culture". The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction says central & eastern Europe is not only still a major drug transit region - it has become a clear target for drug consumption as well. In the Czech Republic, a heated debate is underway about drug laws which allow possession of "not more than a small amount" of marijuana - though

Hungary passed amendments to what's been known as the Status Law this week. The act on Hungarians Living in Neighbouring Countries - to give it the official title - provides benefits to ethnic hungarians living outside of Hungary. The Council of Europe criticised Hungary for failing to get agreement from its neighbours and Slovakia called on the Hungarian government to restrain from applying the law to the half-million strong Hungarian minority in Slovakia. But the Hungarian Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andras Barsony says the bill, although

In Poland a controversial Dutch ship of abortion rights campaigners has been prompting talk-show discussions, parliamentary debate and vitriolic condemnation from church and conservative political leaders. The campaigners, Women on Waves, have been wanting to give women family planning advice away from Poland's restrictive anti-abortion laws. The ship has been met by egg throwing protestors and a fired a fierce debate on abortion in Poland. Opinion polls show Polish society split right down the middle. Heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic church,

While a small amount of marijuana is being taken in bars and cafe around the Czech Republic - across the border in Slovakia, the picture is quite different: Here the criminal code allows a prison sentence for a drug user of up to 3 years. A drug distributor can be sent to prison for up to 15 years.

The OSCE, the organisation for security and co-operation in Europe has warned the Hungarian Status law should not create a precedent. Minorities Commissioner Rolf Ekeus says any elements of the legislation which have effects in neighbouring states will need the support of the state concerned. Walter Kemp, senior advisor to the High Commissioner for National Minorities at the OSCE explains the specific concerns the orgnisation has about the benefits law.

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.