M I N O R I T I E S:
To Be a Belarusan in Bialystok

To an outside observer everything may look fine, but tolerance of minority organizations and the occasional rock concert aside, Belarusans in Poland are experiencing the effects of quite overt anti-Belarusan policies.

Wojtek Kosc

R E G I O N A L   R E L A T I O N S:
The Conquest of Pragmatism
A new chapter in Polish-Lithuanian relations

Poles and Lithuanians share a long and intertwined history. Though the famous words of 19th-century poet Adam Mickiewicz, "Litwa - Ojczyzna Moja" (Lithuania - my homeland), have been repeated ad nauseum, their lasting relevance cannot be denied.

Joanna Rohozinska

C U L T U R E:
Manifestly Refreshing

This spring, when posters for a new project entitled "The Last Underground" started appearing around Prague, it looked like the city's arts scene was finally going to get the boost it desperately needed. Unfortunately, the event ended, the international participants retreated, and the Prague scene was back in the doldrums again. Two of the event's organisers explain why there is little hope that such projects will become a regular part of the Prague arts scene anytime soon.

Kazi Stastna

S P E C I A L   F E A T U R E:
The Czech Republic 1992 to 1999:
From unintentional political birth to
prolonged political crisis

Andrew Stroehlein
with Jan Culik, Steven Saxonberg and Kazi Stastna

Theme of the Week Regions and Centres

CER's Regular Columns:

BALKAN ENCOUNTER: Herzl's Butlers Sam Vaknin Europe is filled with small nations; there are two schools of thought in dealing with the thorny problems they create.	A WESTERNER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE: The War of the Hypocrites Tomas Pecina The latest developments in Czech-Roma relations have put the Roma in a lose-lose situation.
KALEIDOSCOPE: Indiscriminate Visas? Vaclav Pinkava There is talk of reintroducing visas for Czechs travelling to Britain. So, who exactly is going to be making the decision about who gets a visa and who doesn't? And how?	CSARDAS: Oh Give Me a Home... Gusztav Kosztolanyi The number of people taking up mortgages in Hungary is increasing; however, the number of repossessions has reached epidemic proportions.
CULIK'S CZECH REPUBLIC: Mixed Czech Nuts Jan Culik After the news from the Czech Republic over the past few weeks, it seems hardly surprising that an increasing number of people are turning off their televisions, hiding their money in mattresses and voting for the Communists.	THE AMBER COAST: Running toward Helsinki Mel Huang By its public goodwill gestures toward its southern neighbours, Estonia may have jeopardised its own coveted position as a front-runner for membership in the European Union.
MIORITA: Waiting for the Pay-back Catherine Lovatt Romania took a risk when it supported the NATO campaign in Yugoslavia earlier this year. Now, it is waiting to reap the rewards of that stance. But have assurances of fast track promotion into NATO and the EU exceeded Romanian economic and political realities?

Kinoeye This week, we continue our look at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Books and Literature

B O O K   R E V I E W:
Colloquial Czech: The Complete Course for Beginners (second edition)
By James Naughton

If you've ever tried your hand at learning Czech or browsed your local bookshop thinking of doing so, chances are that you've used or at least stumbled across James Naughton's Colloquial Czech. One of the mainstays of Czech language teaching and learning for the last twelve years, this venerable handbook has now been thoroughly revised and republished.

Neil Bermel

S U P P L E M E N T:
The CER Book Shop:
Books about Central and Eastern Europe

Have a look at CER's list of books on the region - all available from Amazon.com. The list is divided into five subject headings: cinema, literature, politics, history and economics.

M   u   s   i   c

S U P P L E M E N T:
The CER Music Shop

In co-operation with Amazon.com, Central Europe Review offers you this on-line shopping supplement.

O n   D i s p l a y

EVENTS: Coming Up in the UK Details of selected Central and East European cultural events in the UK over the next few weeks. Andrew J Horton

CULTURE  ROUND-UP: Poland's Week in Culture Highlights of cultural events in Poland for the week starting 13 September 1999. Wojtek Kosc