Slovenia, Bulgaria and the UK

Available for over a year

Bulgaria is one of the poorest former Eastern Bloc states, while Slovenia's always been one of the most prosperous. But as Nick Thorpe explains, in both Sofia and Ljubljana - and beyond - there are signs of the same malaise and the same responses. While young people lose faith in their futures, the electorate loses its trust in politicians - resulting in new-minted governments and new ways to try and control them. And as the UK shivers its way through the tail end of a bitter winter, Ben Rawlence walks in the Black Mountains of Wales - and listens out for a missing sound of spring. Where is the bleating of lambs, traditionally such a feature of this time of year in the valleys?