Marin Lessenski

Marin Lessenski is programme director of the European Policies Program at the Open Society Institute – Sofia. There, he is responsible for the ‘Catch-Up Index’, which measures the convergence or divergence of European countries along key economy, democracy, governance, and quality of life indicators, with a focus on central and eastern Europe. He holds an MA in southeast European studies from the Central European University, Budapest, and an MA in history from the University of Sofia. Previously, he was a Freedom House visiting fellow with the Hudson Institute’s Center for European and Eurasian Studies and the Center of National Security Studies. He has also participated in the Transatlantic Young Leaders programme at the Aspen Institute in Berlin. His research interests include EU foreign, security, neighbourhood, and enlargement policy; south-eastern Europe; and the Black Sea region.