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For many West European tourists the countries of Central and Eastern Europe seem relatively cheap - especially when it comes to eating out. What many don't know is that it's even cheaper for the locals. Katerina Richterova reports.

The Slovene theatre director and author Tomaz Pandur is back home. Slovenia's prodigal son has found success in some of the worlds best theatres but many people are convinced that his 7 most creative years were in Slovenia at the beginning of the 90s. His latest play is called One hundred minutes and is based on Dostojevski's novel The Brothers Karamazof.

Six months before Poland becomes a member of the European Union the country has been taken to task for not measuring up to EU standards. The annual report of the European Commission, the EU's executive body, describes Poland as the worst prepared of the ten future members of the Union.

According to a Budapest based Institute, former Secret police and nomenclature from communist days have gained high positions in governments across Central and Eastern Europe. The Institute for Transitional Democracy and International Security say they're concerned about the influence these people are having on politics and policies. Radio Budapest's Agi Varga talks to the Director and founder of the institute Sebestyén Gorka

The next in our series 'Bridging Europe' travels to the Austrian capital, Vienna. The 'Reichsbrücke' - or 'Imperial Bridge' - is arguably the capital's most important bridge and a major part of Vienna's landscape and history. Katy Duke takes a look at the way this bridge unites two very different Vienna's.

In the Czech Republic Dagmar Damkova recently became the second woman in Europe to referee a men's first division football match. Her rise to the top has not been easy but - as she tells Radio Prague's Ian Willoughby - now she's had some success, the sky is the limit.

In Poland women's reproductive rights are never far from the headlines. Now deputies of the ruling SLD party of social democrats are proposing to liberalize the strict anti-abortion law. They want a return to abortions on demand up to the 12th week of pregnancy if a woman can prove she is in a difficult family or financial situation. Existing legislation allows abortion only in cases of irreparable damage to the unborn child, when the life or health of the mother is in danger or when pregnancy results from rape. But Polish women are sceptical about

Slovenian Radio and Television are celebrating 75 years of radio and 40 years of television. During these years the broadcaster became an integral part of Slovenia's media landscape. But now public broadcasting in Slovenia faces challenges.

In Slovakia women sacrifice much if they want a highflying job. And the wage difference between men and women in the same position can be as much as 23% in favour of men. Some of the worst discrimination is in the banking sector

The second in our series 'Bridging Central Europe' takes us to one of the most prominent symbols of modern Budapest - the Elisabeth Bridge or 'Erzsébet híd'. The bridge was named after the wife of the Austro- Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph, who declared it open just 100 years ago in 1903. But 41 years later the bridge lay in ruins - blown up by retreating German troops. It's re-opening in 1964 symbolised for many Hungarians the overcoming of the destructions of the war.