KATLIJN MALFLIET is Research Director for Central and Eastern Europe at the Institute for International and European Policy (at K.U. Leuven), Belgium. Katlijn studied Law and Philosophy at the Catholic University of Leuven (K.U. Leuven). She received an M.A. in East European Studies from the Universities of Ghent, Brussels and Leuven, and a PhD in Legal Science from K.U.Leuven. LIEN VERPOEST is a research fellow at the Institute for International and European Policy (K.U. Lueven), Belgium. Lien studied Slavonic Languages and Eastern European Culture (K.U. Leuven and Saint Petersburg State