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Slovenia has made repeated warnings to the Austrian government against allowing the closure of Radio Dva. But just why is Slovenia so concerned about what after all is an Austrian radio station? Natasha Prah, counceller of the Slovene minister for Foreign affairs, gives their response.

The Hungarian government is pretty upbeat about their talks with the Slovaks about their ethnic minorities. But does the Slovak government feel as confident? Oxana Ferjencikova of Radio Slovakia International says reaction to the talks in her country has been more muted

Over three quarters of Czech newspapers are now owned by foreign media groups. And while the country's print media has benefited from the investment these companies bring, some Czechs are unhappy that so much of what they read is foreign owned. But do foreign owners exert too much influence?

When Slovenia joins the EU next year it will be part of a 25 nation group which speaks around 20 languages. There is no common language among EU countries - except perhaps defacto - English - although many will deny that. But given that most people attempt their cross-cultural contact through English - Slovenia is doing something to improve it's teaching by actively using the language in student theatre. Radio Slovenia International has talked to members of the English student theatre at one of the grammar schools in Maribor.

A statue of Britain's wartime Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, has been unveiled in Budapest's city Park. The statue stands on a promenade also named for the statesman. Why is Budapest is honouring the man who first forged the term Iron Curtain?

The Czech Prime minister has been talking to George W Bush about rebuilding Iraq, Hungary has just sent troops to help with security in the Polish controlled zone, Slovakia has just sent a military engineering unit to Iraq and a delegation of the Polish Humanitarian Action has just returned from a reconnaissance mission to Iraq. They've been trying to establish what kind of aid is needed most in the war-damaged country

Czech society has changed greatly since the Velvet Revolution brought an end to the country's Communist system thirteen years ago. And much has been written on the repression of that system but now, a group of historians want to demonstrate what they say was one of the system's defining characteristics - its absurdity.

The north Slovak region of Liptov is well known for its special cheese - known as "bryndza". But the traditional method of preparing this sheep's cheese delicacy is gradually dying out. And the blame is being placed on Brussels, which is forcing the introduction of new hygiene rules.

Aside from the need to restore basic services such as hospitals, much needs to be done to rebuild Iraq's shattered economy. A leading American economist says the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe should be given a key role in Iraq. Czech born Jan Svejnar, director of the University of Michigan's William Davidson Institute, says countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland should be allowed to become part of the economic alliance, as well as the military one.

In Slovakia a media campaign is trying to prevent young girls and women from falling into the hands of traffickers. The campaign has been organised by the Slovak mission of the International Organisation for Migration