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Slovenia is crossed by two-pan European transport corridors -the so-called fifth corridor, leading from Barcelona through Italy and Slovenia to the Ukraine. And the tenth corridor from Northern Europe to Austria, Slovenia the Balkans and Turkey. And all of this means big business for Slovenia's railways after EU accession in 2004. But are the country's rail-links on track to cope with new business?

Prime Ministers of the so-called "Visegrad Four" - Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia - met at a chateau outside Prague on Wednesday, ahead of a crucial meeting in Rome on the draft EU constitution. The V4 and other small countries aren't too happy with the draft, and the Dobris meeting was a chance to fine-tune their strategy ahead of the Rome meeting.

Border guards in eastern Poland are reporting a sharp drop in visits from some their eastern neighbours. Poland introduced new frontier controls on October 1st. - including visas for visitors from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Previously, travellers from these countries could enter Poland for three months with just a passport. Now they have to apply for a visa in advance. This is part of Poland's preparation to join the European Union in May next year. But for around one million east Europeans now working illegally in Poland - the new visa regime

Hungary's efforts to improve the lot of its large Roma, or gypsy, minority have been given a boost by an initiative near the capital, Budapest. Young police officers in Pest County are being taught a Romany dialect, Lovari, in a project designed to foster better relations between police and the Roma. Officers are also learning about ethnic issues and conflict management.

It's one of the biggest challenges facing the European Union: the new European Constitution. And both existing and new EU members are in Rome this weekend slugging it out over issues such as how to appoint a European President, or a foreign minister, and voting rights for commissioners. But judging by the citizens of Bratislava, the people of Central Europe know little about their constitution.

Slovakia's government has been warned that it needs to take account of an aging population. Kristian Fodor reports...

The Florence-based Innocenti Research Centre of UNICEF has released a report on "child maltreatment and death" in the OECD countries. The study shows that about 3500 children under the age of 15 die every year because of abuse and maltreatment - and that Hungary has one of the worst child abuse records amongst industrialised nations.

The Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla narrowly survived a vote of no confidence this week. The vote was called amid widespread criticism of a package of public finance reforms driven by European consideration. It's the second vote of no confidence since Prime Minister Spidla's three-party coalition came to power in June 2002. Rob Cameron talks about why is the government is in trouble.

In Austria, the education Minister Elizabeth Gehrer recently caused uproar by suggesting that young people are more interested in partying than having children. Austria has one of the lowest birth rates in the EU and the minister's statement sparked a debate on partying, pensions, and whether young people are taking life seriously.

Thousands of Polish coal miners have protested against government plans to close four pits. It's an attempt to restructure a loss-making industry. In the latest demonstrations on Friday, Miners blocked off more than 10 major highways in the southern industrial area of Silesia. And a march in Warsaw earlier this month ended in some of the worst rioting Poland has seen in recent years. So why are Polish miners so desperate?