Drought in central and eastern Europe

A drought in central and eastern Europe is threatening this year's food crops -- with Romania, Slovakia, Serbia and Croatia worst affected.

Much of the region has had no rain for six weeks.

In Romanian experts say forty per cent of this season's harvest could be lost, costing an estimated two hundred million dollars. Romanian security force heads are reported to have urged government action because of the threat that this and other recent problems pose to national security.

In Croatia the president Mikulas Dzurinda, toured the worst affected areas in the east of the country where the highest May temperatures for thirty five years have been recorded, affecting wheat, olive and other produce which might normally be exported.

In Yugoslavia reports suggest the country may not have enough food to feed itself because of the drought.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service