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In Slovenia a major operation is underway to mark and uncover mass graves containing the bodies of tens of thousands of people killed at the end of World War 2. They were mostly victims of vengeance killings by the partisans of Yugoslav leader Josip Tito after the allies turned them back from Austria and handed them over. Many had collaborated with the Nazis and were executed without trial. By marking and opening the graves the Slovenian government is trying help people come to terms with this unprecedented slaughter. One of the largest graves

In pre-war Poland - Jews were one of the largest minorities. And in the southern city of Kraków they played a prominent role in everyday life with a thriving and dynamic culture. Eighty years after this golden era, the International Cultural Centre is hosting an exhibition that serves as a reminder of what everyday life in Jewish Kraków was really like.

Five weeks after Poles voted the conservative Law and Justice party out of office in a snap parliamentary election, Poland has a new government. It was formed by the leader of the victorious Civic Platform, Donald Tusk, who made his first major policy speech to parliament on Friday. Michal Kubicki assesses the new cabinet and asks - what are Poles expecting from this new government?

When the famous Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal wrote about the Nymburk brewery in his novel "Cutting It Short", he probably didn't expect that one day its beer would make it as far as the Caribbean. Now, beer from the Czech town is also heading for another market. One of its products, which recently received a kosher certificate, will now be sold in Israel.

After a recent presidential election revealed widespread dissatisfaction with the current government, Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Janša called for a vote of confidence in parliament. The announcement sent markets tumbling and, as Michael Manske reports, unnerved the country as it approaches the EU presidency.

Almost two decades after the fall of the Iron Curtain, another important barrier separating members of the former Eastern block from western Europe is to be lifted. As of December 21st, nine countries that joined the European Union in 2004, including the member states of the Visegrád Group, will be part of the Schengen agreement, a zone without internal border control. Hungary was the first country to breach the old iron curtain - allowing citizens of the former East Germany to travel to Austria from where they could easily continue on to the West.

Slovak authorities says alcohol is the country's number one drug problem. What's more, alcohol abuse among young people is on the increase. Michal Groch reports from Radio Slovakia International.

On November 11, Slovenes overwhelmingly elected Danilo Tuerk as their fourth president - and that has sparked a government crisis. The problem is that Mr Türk was supported by left-wing opposition parties while the government supported candidate suffered a crushing defeat. Prime Minister Janez Jansa has taken this badly and suggested his cabinet could step down. Michael Manske of Radio Slovenia International reports on the Tuerk victory and possible consequences.

When the European Union looks back on 2007 it will be with relief that it finally has agreement on a new treaty. What's known as the reform treaty, replacing the constitutional treaty, was finally agreed last month after years of argument and deadlock. It still must be ratified by a number of EU countries. The writer and historian Timothy Garton Ash was in Vienna to talk about the future of the EU. His books include A History of the Present, and Free World. Our reporter John Cummins caught up with Timothy Garton Ash and asked him is the new treaty

Łukasz Kuropaczewski is an up-and-coming classical guitarist from Poland. He recently made his New York debut at the Carnegie Hall - a performance which has set the seal on an international career.