Erstellt am: 11. 10. 2011 - 15:03 Uhr

Another day, another bailout

Reality Check: Slovakia votes on bailout fund, FM4 drugs focus, Liberia elections, Ukraine's Tymoshenko sentenced to 7 years, Coming Out Day

Henry Ford famously said "Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black". The EU bailout fund vote in Slovakia is much the same. Members of Parliament can vote any way they like, as long as it's "yes" - and if they don't vote yes, there will be another vote, and then another until they do vote "yes".

A "no" vote could do a lot of things. It could make life uncomfortable for Prime Minister Iveta Radicova, it could even bring down the government, and it could ruffle the business community who are anxious to maintain stability for their booming car market in the rest of Europe. But one thing a "no" vote will not do is stop the expansion of the EU bailout fund.

Slovakia is the last of the 17 Euro countries to vote, and the other 16 have all approved the package. The minor coalition partner, the SaS, are abstaining from the vote, angry that Slovakia is being asked to guarantee nearly 8 billion dollars of the 440 billion dollar fund. However, the SaS have also said that they will back the changes on a second vote.

Ironically, whether they back it or not, it's likely that this fund still won't be enough. Some market analysts say the fund needs to be more like 2 trillion dollars to be effective - or put another way, 4 times the amount they are voting on.

Bethany Bell is in Bratislava covering the vote. She told Chris Cummins that it's not so much a vote on the bailout fund, as a confidence vote in the government.

Liberia elections

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf faces stiff opposition in Liberia's general elections, despite being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last week. Riem Higazi talks to Africa Confidential's Editor Patrick Smith about the campaign, the country, and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's campaign slogan: 'Monkey Still Working, Baboon Wait Small".

Tymoshenko sentenced to 7 years in prison

Ukraine's former Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, has been found guilty of abuse of power and sentenced to 7 years in jail.

However, there is strong suspicion that the judgement was politically motivated. Joanna Bostock spoke to Dr Kataryna Wolczuk, lecturer in Ukrainian studies at the University of Birmingham, about the verdict and what it means.

FM4 Focus on Drugs

As a part of our special focus on drugs today, Gennie Johnson spoke to Sandeep Chawla, Director of Research and Policy at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, about the drugs trade and the relative success of international efforts against drug trafficking.

Coming Out Day

Today is "Coming Out Day" - an awareness day for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. YouTube star and gay rights activist Davey Wavey told Riem Higazi about his own memories of´Coming Out Day, how he'll be marking it, and why he thinks it is important.

FM4 Reality Check

Monday to Friday from 12 to 14, and after the show via Podcast or fm4.orf.at/realitycheck.