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Slovakia has one of Central Europe's top performing economies. Foreign companies have invested billions and there's been a strong growth in exports. But now Slovakia's government is trying to sort out how it goes about attracting those foreign investors. A set of rules has been developed following the sacking of Economy Minister Pavol Rusko who it was alleged offered incentives that could not be delivered.

Hundreds of elderly men took part in an emotional gathering at the Czech Ministry of Defence this week, recalling their days in the "army" as young men. But they weren't regular soldiers - not allowed to carry weapons, they were in reality forced labourers, punished by the Communists for their class backgrounds.

Brown Bears once roamed across much of Europe but in many parts today they are either threatened or extinct. In fact, the total population is put at only 15,000. But Slovenia remains a quiet refuge for some of those brown bears. And the small Alpine country is now helping repatriate bears back into parts of the Alps from which they have disappeared.

Poland has for decades been a land of emigrants - with Poles migrating to all corners of the world. But now it finds migrants and asylum seekers are choosing to settle on Poland's shores - and that's causing some problems. But efforts are being made to help integrate these newcomers. Among those efforts is a new centre in Warsaw opened by the group "Missionaries of the Divine Word". Radio Polonia visited the center:

Poland's veterinary services have been put on alert following the outbreak of a dangerous bird flu strain in Kazakhstan and Russia. According to the latest reports, the peak of the disease is over in the two countries, but experts say it may surface elsewhere. And there are fears Poland might be vulnerable because millions of migratory Siberian birds pass through the country each autumn on their way West.

Hungary is worried about rising drug use. The director of the National Institute for Drug Prevention, Akos Topolanszky, says while there is a good national drug prevention strategy in Hungary it's not being fully implemented.

In Slovakia the forced resignation of Economy Minister Pavol Rusko has pushed the government into crisis. The coalition leaders kicked Rusko's party out of government but kept a dissident faction of his party in power. The opposition and some independent MPs are calling for an early election.

The 10th of September is World Suicide Prevention Day and in Slovenia the Public Health institute has been working on ways to prevent suicide. Slovenia has one of the highest suicide rates in the world along with Hungary and north-eastern European states.

The Czech capital Prague recently witnessed a royal procession, as Czechs commemorated the 650th anniversary of the coronation of the Bohemian King Charles IV as Holy Roman Emperor. Charles IV, who built some of Prague's most famous landmarks, is a highly popular historical figure.

Since the United Kingdom opened up its labour market to new EU member countries more and more Czechs and Slovaks have been trying their luck abroad. We visited a Czech and Slovak oasis in the heart of the big city.