Europe - What's Next?
They wanted to find out what hopes the people had for their countries' EU membership and how they expected it to affect their own lives. Now the reporters have returned to the Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovenia and Lithuania. They have revisited the protagonists of the first series and asked them how the past ten years have treated them and where they stand now – in today's European Union.
Heritage for the Future - A Journey Through the Czech Republic
Ten years after our first journey through the Czech Republic, the country is concentrating on its image as a rich cultural centre in the heart of Europe. Its wealthy heritage attracts not only tourists but also film crews from around the globe. A location scout allows us a peak behind the scenes of the legendary Prague studios. We find out how the long-standing Czech car brand Škoda is holding up under the financial crisis and how a former textile worker sees his future. This journey through the Czech Republic reveals how rapidly it’s been changing since the 1989 "Velvet Revolution".
The Short Dream - A Journey Through Latvia
We visited Latvia once before more than a decade ago. Now we’ve returned to the tiny republic in north-eastern Europe, met the people we talked to before and asked them how they’ve been getting along. The country was hit hard by the global financial crisis, but hardly anyone was heard griping about it. The Latvians have been trying to build up their confidence and look ahead. We talk to the manager of a brick factory in Cēsis, a worker on an organic farm in Renda, and a former student who has since found a job in Kuldīga. They are many voices in one small country.
The End of Melancholy - A Journey through Slovenia
Slovenia joined NATO and the European Union in 2004, introduced the euro in 2007 and became a member of the OECD in 2010. With a record of success, it’s widely viewed as a model for the new Europe. Ten years ago, DW-TV took a trip through the tiny republic tucked between Austria and Croatia. Now we’ve been back to talk to the ambitious wine grower, the hopeful married couple, the optimistic plant manager and others we met on our first visit. We wanted to know what has changed about their lives.
On a New Course - A Journey Through Lithuania
For more than twenty years, Vidmantas Jakas made a living as a fisherman. Today he takes tourists across the Curonian Lagoon so they can enjoy the beauty of Lithuania’s Baltic Sea coast. A great deal has changed for him and for Lithuania since the little republic joined the European Union and NATO in 2004. DW-TV had been there in 2000. This report follows up on that journey, looking at what has come of the hopes.