Say, an informal collection i have been making over the years which i know is the unsayable truths behind the scenes in politics that sometimes our problem is that are just too hot to solve all that successive governments have often not had the space, time, majority, money, or maybe the courage to crack. Courage to crack. Basically, the Difference Courage to crack. Basically, the difference between courage to crack. Basically, | the difference between what courage to crack. Basically, the difference between what you would do if you are building a new house with the blueprint or doing a fixer upper. I new house with the blueprint or doing a fixer upper. Doing a fixer upper. I think that is a doing a fixer upper. I think that is a good doing a fixer upper. I think that is a good way doing a fixer upper. I think that is a good way of doing a fixer upper. I think i that is a good way of putting it, or, there is a lot of you Wouldnt Start here. If i it, or, there is a lot of you Wouldnt Start here. If i was auoin Wouldnt Start here. If i was going from Wouldnt Start here. If i was going from there, Wouldnt Start here. If i was going from there, i Wouldnt Start here. If i was| going from there, i Wouldnt Start from here, The Fabulous Expression in politics. That is to come but you hinted that with. With the news that where ever we are in this studio, the Prime Minister is Back On a foreign trip in the heart of the White House. Foreign trip in the heart of the White House. Keir starmer has done a the White House. Keir starmer has done a lot the White House. Keir starmer has done a lot of the White House. Keir starmer has done a lot of foreign has done a lot of foreign travel and a lot of kodak moments with World Leaders and he will be in another one tomorrow with the italian leader. He went to the White House to talk to the president about the Middle East, particularly about ukraine because for weeks, there has been a Building Request from kyiv, allow us to use long range missiles into russia, so weapons that have been provided by the west, lots of Aid Money has gone to ukraine, we know that, the west, the uk, the us, other countries have stumped up significant amounts of cash but the question now is will they allow those weapons to be fired into russia, notjust be used to defend ukraine on its own soil. So atski is repeatedly asking for it, putin has made clear in the last couple of days as Steve Rosenberg has reported on brilliantly all week that it would be a Red Line for him. That is the diplomatic question that is on the table at the moment. 50 it the table at the moment. So it is no surprise the table at the moment. So it is no surprise that the table at the moment. So it is no surprise that they the table at the moment. Sr t is no surprise that they chose not to answer the question. We had a lot of meetings, a terribly terribly important meeting, and we are meeting are not going to give the statement that we have authorised the use of american, british or french because you could even see a world where british and french missiles are used and americans are not. So complicated to have all these Armchair Generals be on the news to tell us where the Red Line is a Red Line because the supplying of tanks was said to be a Red Line. Everywhere you have looked, you have seen that way, as western countries in the nato alliance, have been supporting ukraine. The question is who flies the plane, drives the tanks. Here is how the Prime Minister summed it up. I think what we can say in a nutshell is no decision taken in public. Well, we have had decision taken in public. Well, we have had a decision taken in public. Well, we have had a long decision taken in public. Well, we have had a long and we have had a long and productive discussion on a number productive discussion on a number of fronts, including ukraine, number of fronts, including ukraine, as you would expect, the Middle East, the pacific. Talking the Middle East, the pacific. Talking strategically about tactical decisions, this is about tactical decisions, this is about particular decision, we will obviously pick it up again in a will obviously pick it up again in a few will obviously pick it up again in a few days time with a wider in a few days time with a wider group of individuals. He is wider group of individuals. Is referring wider group of individuals. He is referring to the United Nations General Assembly which always takes place in the third week of september or thereabouts. As you say, paddy, thereabouts. As you say, paddy, the interesting thing here is this is a pattern, will we see it repeat again . From the beginning, ukraine have said give us more arms, give us more money, and the west have said it is difficult, oh, here they are. Then, we need tanks. 0h, are. Then, we need tanks. Oh, it is difficult, here are some. We saw the same with jets, Training Fighterjet pilots. Will we see a repeat of that pattern with a long range missiles being eventually being given permission for, Boris Johnson Wayne into this, including seeing president zelensky, will receive the West Repeat this Pattern And Grant zelensky� s request next week or not . And the wider question around all of this is that when the west, as a zelensky would see it, drags its feet, or as others would see it, takes great care in trying to avoid an escalation, when it does is it leaves the conflict in the Status Quo where ukraine has enough support from its western allies to keep fighting but not enough to have a chance of pushing the russians out. Meanwhile, putin can use western delay is something to make political attacks on zelensky with. Make political attacks on zelens with. , zelensky with. And he is using western Delay Zelensky with. And he is using western Delay And Zelensky with. And he is using western delay and a zelensky with. And he is using western delay and a Rain Western Delay and a Rain Missiles and they are said to be sending short term Ballistic Missiles. He has already been having drones from around, he has had ammunition of the North Koreans, and so we are seeing this massive global crisis over the war in europe, there is a massive global crisis in the war in the Middle East and the question for many people who come through my Studio And Radio 4 is it is in a failure of american leadership which is why the american election is so important, who wins that will put a new Compass Bearing on how those two giant global crises can be addressed by a mixture of diplomacy and also looking putin in the eye because the question is if you dont say no to this man, when will he actually stopped moving west . That is one of the big existential questions. West . That is one of the big existential questions. There is no doubt about existential questions. There is no doubt about that existential questions. There is no doubt about that and existential questions. There is no doubt about that and as existential questions. There is | no doubt about that and as you say it is something we talked about a lot before the election, didnt we . Yes, what was called by the head of nato, the axis of authoritarian countries. The axis of authoritarian countries. ~ , ,. , countries. Well, you had the head of nato countries. Well, you had the head of nato on, countries. Well, you had the head of nato on, you countries. Well, you had the head of nato on, you have i head of nato on, you have been to kyiv, you have had the Prime Minister and you have had the head of nato so you are better placed to me then made to put in a nutshell. Placed to me then made to put in a nutshell. Put in a nutshell. There is the idea that put in a nutshell. There is the idea that there put in a nutshell. There is the idea that there is put in a nutshell. There is the idea that there is this put in a nutshell. There is the idea that there is this Group L Idea that there is this group of countries, North Korea, russia, iran, who are in various different ways collaborating, really chilling thing, Missiles Landing in ukraine. Of course, you can understand, you are meant to be the western allies looking out for us and sign up for democracy, if there missiles are made up by that Country And Landing in my country, and come on, let me fight back. On, let me fight back. Come on exactly. On, let me fight back. Come on exactly. This on, let me fight back. Come on exactly, this is on, let me fight back. Come on exactly, this is a on, let me fight back. Come on exactly, this is a moment i on, let me fight back. Come on exactly, this is a moment of exactly, this is a moment of change of the World Order. Whatever World Order we had five years ago is changing now and it is being changed precisely because moscow is linking with beijing and North Korea and tehran, they are precisely testing the west and they are doing it in the borders of Europe And Zelensky is saying this is your fight as well as mine and there we have it, why the Armchair Generals i have been listening to say, you know what, they probably wont be an announcement but it will be an announcement but it will be very clear when and iranian short term Ballistic Missile hits ukraine and when a Ballistic Missile from supplied by the west reaches russia. It by the west reaches russia. It is interesting, though, to see a new Prime Minister engaging so publicly in this, going out to the White House again, hed already been there, just before hes going to be at the United Nations General Assembly, he will be america and a couple of weeks. And it isjust something that people know very much about or would have known very much about before or even discussed very much before the election, Keir Starmer� s approach to Foreign Policy. Yes, we have talked about the global order and pieces being up global order and pieces being Up In The Air and put in rattling sabres but it is not something that featured much in Election Campaign and yet here we are, we see Keir Starmer spending a lot of time and a lot of face time on Foreign Policy for the reasons you have just outlined, and it is really interesting, and i think we did talk actually about the Election And Remarking during the campaign that we didnt talk about Foreign Policy very much at all and yet it might be that that goes on to define this government for these reasons you have outlined with all these things going on, china, russia, North Korea,. All the running at home has been a Winter Fuel payments, the return to parliament, the new decisions by the Secretary Of State for health, there has been an awful lot of not talking about baroness. There has been lots of activity and this week i felt. Has been lots of activity and this week i felt. Has been lots of activity and this week i felt. This week is when i this week i felt. This week is when i felt this week i felt. This week is when i felt people this week i felt. This week is when i felt people in is when i felt people in government felt this is real and it is really hard, but it is real and some people we have been talking to are saying oh, 0k been talking to are saying oh, ok this is how it works. You know when you get a newjob or a new thing and you think i had to do every day. And it feels to do every day. And it feels to me like the sort of new Routine And Pattern the sort of starting to become real. And it has been a busy week in that way. They have had a report that was discussed in newscast but out of this report, banning Junk Food ads before the watershed, that is Something Health campaigners have talked about for a long time and of course now the government surviving its vote on Winter Fuel allowance, surviving its vote on Winter Fuelallowance, no surviving its vote on Winter Fuel allowance, no surprise about the vote because they have got their whopping majority. But it has been a very interesting early skirmish between Keir Starmer and unhappier parts of his party, not least because they, well, i was going to say snack out. When labour were in opposition, they would say the tories sneaked out how many people would lose their Winter AllianceFuel Allowance and around 780,000 pensions were said to use their Winter Fuel allowance because theyre not expecting to apply for benefits to help them pay it. That is the government of my own analysis. That is a lot of people. And they are pressing ahead with this policy. I people. And they are pressing ahead with this policy. I mean, the thing is ahead with this policy. I mean, the thing is well ahead with this policy. I mean, the thing is well that ahead with this policy. I mean, the thing is well that strikes i the thing is well that strikes me when you look at it all is has he got the politics of it right . I understand that you can make a case for not paying makes Jagger And Paul mccartney their Winter Fuel allowance, i get that argument, and i think you have written this for the website, politicians have been saying for a long time this is a blunt instrument to keep people warm, there are better ways to keep people warm. That is true. So is it really necessary to have gone through week three weeks of this, four weeks of this, for the sake of 1. 4 billion. Why couldnt they wrap it in with a budget . Well, i think wrap it in with a budget . Well, i think the wrap it in with a budget . Well, i think the question wrap it in with a budget . Well, i think the question here wrap it in with a budget . Well, i think the question here is i think the question here is really about the chronology. Would it have been better, might have it be better to as you say put it in with a budget, and as it then, and then you can say, are, look, as we think is very likely, we are going to increase capital Gains Tax which is paid by the very wealthiest people, and we will fiddle around with people who have enormous pensions, so we are doing that, and by the way, i am really sorry, we are going to stop better off pensioners getting extra cash and if we are really truthful, the state as a pensioners, economically, has dramatically changed or has changed significantly since the Winter Fuel allowance was invented. But that is not what happened, depositing out their lack of Sore Thumb and there are questions about whether it was too clever by half to do this as a flex of the muscles, look how tough we are going to be, this early on, but that will be in the months to come. Maybe even in the years to come. Will anyone render this in 12 months time . We dont know at this point. But it is interesting in the context of saying things out loud that politicians dont often dare to say, because Keir Starmer went there and said people who are really better off shouldnt get Winter Fuel allowance and that is something that tonnes of politicians have been willing to say privately forever and ever and ever, not that many of them are willing to state publicly, and Keir Starmerjust publicly, and Keir Starmer just went publicly, and Keir Starmerjust went there. But it has got me thinking this week, and i have been talking to a lot of people and i have been talking to people in current and former administrations, that if you were to sate some of the unsayable is, there are things that are genuine problems, what would they be . Bud that are genuine problems, what would they be . Would they be . And youve got a list, ithink. Would they be . And youve got a list, | think. I would they be . And youve got a list, | think. | do would they be . And youve got a list, i think. I do have would they be . And youve got a list, i think. I do have a list, i think. I do have a list. 0ne list, i think. I do have a list. One of the ones, i think if we start with the nhs and the link to Social Care, this was something i remember Boris Johnson doing another part of his premiership when it was less chaotic, shall we say, was you cannot fix the nhs until you cannot fix the nhs until you fix the cost of people living into old age and dying with State Help other family selling all that silver. Than selling all that silver. An theresa selling all that silver. An Theresa May selling all that silver. An Theresa May tried to do it and failed, David Cameron tried, and labour looked at doing it, andy burnham, now the king of the north as he describes himself, and he try to do it and it didnt work out either. But what is interesting this week and it was fascinating, Keir Starmer start sat with us last weekend and said he was going to do the difficult things now. And then on thursday he said im going to be bold about the nhs and we have to reform it or it is going to die. And then almost in the next breath, he said but Social Care, we are going to look at that and in the next ten years will look at that. Now, there are lots of people, as you said, and has a politicians who have said over the years, you just cannot fix the years, you just cannot fix the Nhss Core Problem if you dont fix Social Care. The new reports that 30 of people are in hospital because there isnt Social Care. So hospitals are filled up with people who cannot get care in their communities. So it was interesting that Keir Starmer was willing to go there on Winter Fuel allowance, say the unsayable, get rid of that for millions of pensioners, but not be ready to come forward with a plan of Social Care which we should also say that labour said they were going to go ahead with a cap on costs, until very recently. Ahead with a cap on costs, until very recently. And as you no until very recently. And as you to into until very recently. And as you go into hospital until very recently. And as you go into hospital to until very recently. And as you go into hospital to see until very recently. And as you go into hospital to see elderly| go into hospital to see elderly relatives, they are often in old wards, often in geriatric wards, so when you have 13 of beds, more than ten in A Hundred beds being taken up by people who do not need to be in hospital, they should really be another care, that is a huge amount on any one award. So thatis amount on any one award. So that is one unsayable. What about an Un Sable to do with private Health Care . Unsayable. Wes streeting said he would have considered using private Health Care for His Own diagnosis, he had a kidney removed due to cancer treatment. So, the increased use of private medicine by the state is also being, we have talked about redline, it is to be a Red Line for the left. But now they be a Red Line for the left. But now they are be a Red Line for the left. But now they are going to do it, this administration has been clear they were going to do it in the way that Tony Blair was in the way that Tony Blair was in the way that Tony Blair was in the late 2000. So, the other things that kept being mentioned to me also and relating to the older generation is a Triple Lock. The hugely costly guarantee that pensioners will always have their income rising, whether it is at inflation or how earnings are rising, it is hugely costly and the point that was made repeatedly to me is that while it might be good politics, what it does is it gives the state a Price Tag that they know is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger and proportionately a bigger slice of the pie every year because society is ageing. Yes, more old people because society is ageing. Yes, more old people with because society is ageing. Yes, more old people with a because society is ageing. Ye more old people with a Triple Lock. So you could Means Test the Triple Lock. It is all very well Means Testing the Winter Fuel allowance but you could Means Test the Triple Lock. But ou Means Test the Triple Lock. But you wont Means Test the Triple Lock. But you wont find Means Test the Triple Lock. But you wont find a Means Test the Triple Lock. But you wont find a politician who will do that. And i remember, recently, so clearly, a very senior politician who newscasters will have heard of said to me privately, it is not a good thing for the country but it is good politics and then a sort of giggled themselves because they knew, in their view, and themselves because they knew, in theirview, and im not saying this is right or wrong, ijy saying this is right or wrong, by the way, i assaying any of these other right or wrong things, but they are common themes that are mentioned, in their view, as in lots of politicians of view, the Triple Lock is not a policy that is sustainable unless you have a big old thing about tax because basically youve given the state an extra massive cost each year and if you dont want to be brave about raising lows of extra tax to pay for it, you are going to have a problem, but nobody wants to say it out loud. , , , , but nobody wants to say it out loud. , , loud. This is some of your thinking. Loud. This is some of your thinking, based loud. This is some of your thinking, based on loud. This is some of your thinking, based on your. Thinking, based on your sources, some of the unsayable things and i get a say something not based on sources, it is based on listening and reading everything that i possibly can, i am coming around to the view that the budget on October The 30th is going to be historic. I think unless Rachael Reeves by dint of standing on herfeet, she will make history as the first female chancellor, but unless she goes there to prove that there are more difficult decisions and are less at the same time she can introduce some things with the public likes, because that is the other part of the budget, a shrewd chancellor takes all their economic plans and mixes them with the political things, you come up with white rabbits. But i am stumbling to the view that that is going to be on a par with out biggest budget of the last 50 years, it is going to have to be, otherwise there is no point in being the new labour administration. You may be riaht, labour administration. You may be right, Gordon Labour administration. You may be right, Gordon Brown labour administration. You may be right, Gordon Brown and be right, Gordon Brown and nigel lawson, their budgets made history, and george osbornes first emergency budget, and that is a made up thing, it is what people call it when they want it sound exciting, but, yes, we expect this will be a huge moment for this will be a huge moment for this government, and it is funny you mention that because it might almost full short if it might almost full short if it doesnt have big radical things. But, you know, the people in the treasury had seen a pattern over the years that what you get is a very, very long list of quite small things that they claim adds up to something completely enormous but only one measure on their own might actually not worked out that way, but, you know, who knows . It is hard for her because she has ruled out 70 things and there are so many cost pressures. Things and there are so many cost pressures. And we are the Broadcast Cost pressures. And we are the broadcast that cost pressures. And we are the broadcast that predicted cost pressures. And we are the broadcast that predicted the I Broadcast that predicted the change in fiscal rules first. So this is the podcaster, and there are many other podcasters, there is an inflationary pressure on the pod casts, this is the one that says brace for changes to the fiscal rules, braced for changes to capital Gains Tax, also employer contributions are national insurance, these could be small, so i want it to be known that i now predict that those things are all happening and more and bigger, orthere is no point being Rachael Reeves. ~ , is no point being Rachael Reeves. ~. , reeves. Well, if her team is listening. Reeves. Well, if her team is listening, they reeves. Well, if her team is listening, they can reeves. Well, if her team is listening, they can email i reeves. Well, if her team is | listening, they can email in listening, they can E Mail in and tell us whether Rachael Reeves is going to go hard or go home. If you are listening and not watching, patty was so paddy was slapping his thighs. Paddy was slapping his thiuhs. , , thighs. This big thing over Winter Fuel thighs. This big thing over Winter Fuel is thighs. This big thing over Winter Fuel is a thighs. This big thing over Winter Fuel is a taste thighs. This big thing over Winter Fuel is a taste of i thighs. This big thing over| Winter Fuel is a taste of the difficult decisions. He wont believe how awful the tories have left it, disputed, you word believe how awful it is, thatis word believe how awful it is, that is just a foretaste, that is just simply the starter of what is coming on the table. Well, well see. And this Expectation Management on the budget, they have started very, very early, i have never seen a government start so early on the pitch rolling, to use a terrible, terrible bit of westminsterjargon, to prepare us all for what might come in the budget. They started two months before it is going to happen. Shelby met before we conclude, because mercifully we are ni at the end, can i bore you with another thing on my list. Ifeel betterfor you with another thing on my list. I feel better for having this list because it has been on my mind for a long time, not least because you have politician saying one thing when the microphone is off and then the microphone goes on and went they wont say the things they know they believe, something like revaluing Council Tax, for example, which multiple people in the last few days and last few years have told me, it is crackers, it is based on House Prices from 1991. There will be people listening to news cast. Did someone actually write that down . , � someone actually write that down . ,. , down . Paddy wasnt alive in 1991. Down . Paddy wasnt alive in 1991 my down . Paddy wasnt alive in 1991 my god. Down . Paddy wasnt alive in 1991. My god, can down . Paddy wasnt alive in 1991. My god, can you i down . Paddy wasnt alive in i 1991. My god, can you imagine It Revaluing the Council Tax bands . It It Revaluing the Council Tax bands . , , bands . It would be, to use your word, a bands . It would be, to use your word. A huge bands . It would be, to use your word, a huge stream bands . It would be, to use your word, a huge stream ash, i bands . It would be, to use your word, a huge stream ash, and l word, a huge stream ash, and someone in government said it is strange and want kilich to think it is a big deal because it would necessarily raise any money from the taxpayer. The mf say it is crackers because it is outdated and property values have changed in different ways in different places so basically the whole system is distorted so Council Tax is another one, University Finance is another one. We know that some institutions are on the brink. But who, as a politician, is going to put a leaflet, i will make it harder for you to go to university . But now what used to be unsayable is you cant necessarily have loads more people going to university, and the same level of fees be stuck for years and years and years on end, without there being some big problem coming down the tracks. Some are set to me, the tracks. Some are set to me, the whole University Financing for students is like a policy scheme, it doesnt Work But Nobody wants to talk about it out loud. It might be something that ridiculous and has to deal with before too long because there is a perfect Case Study of what happens if politicians successively ignore something thatis successively ignore something that is true. So, for years, no politician wanted to say if you look up more people in prison, it means you have to build more prisons. It means you have to build more risons. ,. , , prisons. And what we have now . We are releasing prisons. And what we have now . We are releasing them. Prisons. And what we have now . We are releasing them. Right. I we are releasing them. Right. And people in government feel very strongly that that is a disgrace, should never have been allowed to happen but for political reasons, nobody had that debate. So if politicians want to avoid having disasters, may be some of the things that are currently unsayable might have to be said out loud before too long. It have to be said out loud before too lonu. , ,. , have to be said out loud before too lonu. , ,. , too long. It is a great list and newscasters too long. It is a great list and newscasters will i too long. It is a great list| and newscasters will want too long. It is a great list i and newscasters will want to react because one of the things is some pensioners who write to me get very upset the way they are talked at, one blob of people, there are 10 Million of them. They have worked hard and their pensioners taxed after a lifetime. Then there are young people who live on their own who can afford to, saying they could lose the 25 discount for single person Council Tax. I know a lot of younger people cannot afford to live on their own anyway but the next Raft Up are given a 25 discount living alone, that is said to be under threat. So we wait to see how much we get any reaction to similar things. Similar things. And i would love to know similar things. And i would love to know also similar things. And i would love to know also what i similar things. And i would i love to know also what would you like to tackle that you dont think they have the dishes to tackle that you dont think they have that should start to do. And i would emphasise i am making a case saying that any these things should be done in any particular way but these are common themes from people i have been speaking to Who Sit Or Have Sat in the rooms in Downing Street and the treasury and elsewhere in government and decided what to do. Do and elsewhere in government and decided what to do. Decided what to do. Do we go out on cat decided what to do. Do we go out on Cat Chat . Decided what to do. Do we go out on Cat Chat . Well, decided what to do. Do we go out on Cat Chat . Well, we i out on Cat Chat . Well, we provoked out on Cat Chat . Well, we provoked i out on Cat Chat . Well, we provoked i was out on Cat Chat . Well, we provoked i was going i out on Cat Chat . Well, we provoked i was going to l out on Cat Chat . Well, We L provoked i was going to say out on Cat Chat . Well, we i provoked i was going to say by accident but that is not really true, we provoked quite a lot of Cat Chat last weekend so we revealed that Keir Starmer� s new cat is called prince. Then we revealed thatjojo, the existing cat, had been killing lots of mice in their flat existing cat, had been killing lots of mice in theirflat in Downing Street. Then we provoked the ire of Larry The Cat who wrote on Social Media that his massing abilities have been called into question. Now there is more news about westminster but that counts. It westminster but that counts. It appears that Larrys Photo shy. You see, i dont believe that. It cant be right, he is always having a photo taken. Someone said they wanted the new picture taken with Larry And Larry gave them the bums rush to use the official feline term. , ,. , to use the official feline term. ,. , term. The point is that larry likes to have term. The point is that larry likes to have his term. The point is that larry likes to have his picture i term. The point is that larry i likes to have his picture taken on His Own. I likes to have his picture taken on His Own on His Own. I am the same, actually on His Own. I am the same, actually. Are on His Own. I am the same, actually. Are you . On His Own. I am the same, actually. Are you . There i on His Own. I am the same, | actually. Are you . There we have it. A desperate attempt to encourage people to listen for one more minute, thinking there might be new cat news. Might be new cat news. See, i am never might be new cat news. See, i am never sure might be new cat news. See, i am never sure that might be new cat news. See, i am never sure that actually i am never sure that actually encourages people to listen. They have already gone. We will be back tomorrow, see you tomorrow. Live from london. This is bbc news. Romania is setting up camps for thousands of people forced from their homes by severe flooding. At least four people are dead. President zelensky again stresses ukraines need for long range missiles, Asjoe Biden and Keir Starmer meet in washington but make no Policy Change announcements. We are guilty as a government, but also the community is guilty. A funeral has been held in uganda for the olympic athlete rebecca cheptegei, who was set on fire and killed by herformer boyfriend. South sudans cabinet endorses the extension of the transitional government. The decision pushed back elections for two years. Hello, im catherine byaruhanga. Large parts of Central And Eastern Europe are under flood alert. At least four people are dead in romania. Thousands of homes are destroyed and people displaced. And in the cezch republic, Emergency Services are desperately trying to find a car washed away by a flooded river. Its believed three people are inside. The rain, causesd by cyclone boris, has mainly hit the eastern part of romania. Authorities are creating Displacement Camps and sending Emergency Aid to those forced to evacuate their homes. The Cyclone Rains have also hit several other countries in the region including the czech republic