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One change in the urban landscape in the Czech Republic in recent years has been a massive increase in the number of shopping malls. Rare a decade ago, large shopping centres are now part of the everyday lives of millions of Czechs. And while the number of malls keeps on growing, some major retailers are also making inroads into the corner shop market. Radio Prague’s Ian Willoughby reports.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of its greatest architect, Slovenia has unleashed a flurry of exhibitions and symposiums abroad to try to bring more recognition to Jože Plečnik. With shows currently running in Belgium and Japan, Slovenian architects are also hoping to breathe new life into the so-called Slovenian School of Architecture.

Warsaw is a city whose skyline is dominated by the Stalinist-era Palace of Culture and where a heated debate is under way on how to turn the vast space around it into a genuine human-scale city centre.

There's a building boom going on across much of Central Europe. In capitals like Prague, Warsaw and Bratislava cranes dominate the skyline as builders try to keep up with demand created by rapid economic growth. That growth is creating jobs and wealth and new architectural gems. But it's also bringing problems including traffic chaos and fears for the urban environment. Our special program this week begins on a building site in Bratislava.

The concept of the capital - capital city that is - and its relationship to the state, exercised the minds of Mayors at a recent meeting in Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana. They tackled the problems that arise when capital city administrations fall foul of their national government. And they called for more capital city influence within the European Union.

A group of economists in Slovakia have worked out that the cost of running the state amounts to almost half the average pay packet of each and every citizen. The economists looked at the cost of state institutions like Parliament, local authorities, compulsory health and pension funds, the army, police and so on. Their conclusion is that annually each Slovak pays on average 3,910 euros to cover the cost of the state. Anca Dragu spoke to one of the economists, Radovan Durana and asked him - is the Slovak state too expensive?

It was a standing ovation for the new play by former Czech President Vaclav Havel in Prague last week. His first play in more then 20 years is about the leader of a country who leaves politics after many years in power and has to adjust to a new life. And if you think that sounds a little like Havel himself - you would be right.

It was 100 years ago that the first electric tram appeared on the streets of the Polish capital Warsaw. To mark the occasion, a day of festivities was held to celebrate this well known Warsaw sight. Mags Korczak of Polish Radio's External Service has this report.

Europe’s leaders have made much of plans to turn the European Union into the “most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world”. Innovation is of course a key element of that strategy, which is why the EU is planning a European Institute of Innovation Technology. Among the candidates to host it are Bratislava and Vienna – with the two neighbouring capitals putting forward a joint bid. Radio Slovakia International’s Anca Dragu reports.

The Polish capital Warsaw may have a lot going for it, but its underground rail system is hardly a matter of pride. After two decades of work its one and only line is still not completed. That said, at least one of its stations does have something to shout about – the Wilson Square station received top honours at the MetroRail 2008 Conference in Copenhagen. Polish Radio’s Bogdan Zaryn went underground for this report.