Arkan Shot Dead Vana Suša

Winners Budiša and Račan

C R O A T I A:
And What Now?
Saša Cvijetić
Two weeks ago, even the biggest optimists in Croatia were taken by surprise; the opposition coalition of the Social-Democratic Party of Croatia and the Croatian Social-Liberal Party achieved a landslide victory in the long-awaited parliamentary elections. With only a week left until the presidential elections, CER takes stock of this significant result.

T R A N S P O R T:
The Little Engine That Couldn't
Martin Burger
Travellers and industrial goods in Central and Eastern Europe used to move mainly by train. Not anymore. The centralised transport systems are collapsing while new roads divide landscapes.

C Z E C H   R E P U B L I C:
A Glimmer in the Dark
Catherine Miller
AIDS has been greeted in the Czech Republic with a fair amount of hysteria and stigmatisation, while few among the older generation take the spread of HIV seriously. Offering a beacon of hope to those have contracted the virus is Dům světla (The Lighthouse), a much-needed asylum centre in Prague.

P O S T - S O V I E T:
Europe Endless
Peter Szyszlo
Nearly a decade after the collapse of the USSR, the former Soviet borderlands remain in flux, struggling to rebuild economies, define political systems and national identities. As Warsaw, Prague and Budapest gear up for the European Union fast track, more restrictive EU-compliant laws will inevitably follow, thus tightening, if not constricting, their eastern flanks.

C Z E C H   R E P U B L I C:
Weaknesses of the Czech Media
Andrew Stroehlein
The traditional Czech media have been weak, ineffective and unable to perform the role of watchdog in the new Czech democracy. A lack of investigative journalism is only part of the problem. Political influence is strong and the entire news industry is heavily dependent on a single source of information.

S L I C E   O F   L I F E:
Once upon a Time in the Czech Republic...
James Partridge
Christmas in the Czech Republic was a little sadder this year as the dispute between CET 21, the license holder of Vladimír Železný's TV Nova, and its former partner ČNTS resulted in a number of the Czech nation's favourite fairy tales disappearing from TV screens.

RUSSIA: Economic Evasion: Part 2 Piotr Przychodzki and Andrei Markine The second part of our in-depth analysis of the legal procedures that have paved the wave for chronic debt-dodging in Russia's corporate sector, resulting in massive capital flight.

SLOVAKIA: Stealing the Steelworks: Part 2 Michael J Kopanic Jr We continue our look at how the Eastern Slovak Ironworks went from steel behemoth to debt-ridden debacle.

C o n f e r e n c e    T a l k

Theme of the week: Poverty The East is the poor side of Europe, but what about the poorest on the poor side?

H U N G A R Y:
Rich Man, Poor Man
Gusztáv Kosztolányi
In Hungary, the hidden world of the less affluent is beginning to encroach on the "respectable" heart of the metropolis, albeit in its most extreme manifestation. Increasingly, the smart, tourist-frequented districts of Pest are being invaded by the homeless, the most visible emblem of a deeply divided society. But there is some slight cause for optimism.

CER's Regular Columnists:

ČULÍK'S CZECH REPUBLIC: Who's Afraid of Rational Thought? Jan Čulík In the view of one well-regarded Czech literary critic, articulate rational argumentation is highly suspect as it may lead to enslavement by ideology. Investigative journalism is also dangerous as it may result in witch-hunts. This is not an unusual attitude of contemporary Czech intellectuals.	AMBER COAST: Off the Mark Mel Huang For many years now, Estonia has made NATO membership a major priority of its foreign and security policy, and politicians have been falling over themselves to declare their dedication to the cause. In the process, public relations seems to have overwhelmed actual needed reforms.
MIORITA: Regional Politics and Instability Catherine Lovatt A plethora of parties in Romania often renders the democratic workings of government immobile. Instability has become the hallmark of the government, recognised not least by the recent collapse of Prime Minister Radu Vasile.	BALKAN ENCOUNTER: The Mind of Darkness Sam Vaknin Who was to blame for the war? Can Macedonia survive without Serbia? The issues are debated with an eclectic mix of nationalities over a New Year's dinner.
CSARDAS: A Law unto Themselves? Gusztáv Kosztolányi In the second part of our examination of white collar crime and police corruption in Hungary, we look at the dirty influence of oil and a revealing videotape on the course of Hungarian justice. And we also see how the police have ended up the laughing stock of the country.

Kinoeye Hot on the heels of Aleksandr Sokurov's UK success, British eyes have turned to Russia to see what other cinematic treasures lurk there. The result is a two-week run for Balabanov's debut feature at London's ICA.

REVIEW:
No More Childhood
Aleksei Balabanov's Schastlivye dni
Andrew J Horton
St Petersburg has long been used as a backdrop for writers and film-makers. Balabanov gives the city a Gogolian treatment in his film inspired by the plays of Samual Beckett.