In light of the post-1989 regime transitions, this paper reviews the state of trust in public institutions in Central and Eastern Europe and the impact that lustration policies have had. First, this paper examines the theoretical relationship between vetting and trust in public institutions. In theory, lustration is designed to improve the trustworthiness of public institutions through a combination of both symbolic and bureaucratic changes. Second, this paper presents preliminary empirical evidence of the relationship between trust in public institutions and lustration. It presents both comparative trends across the region, and evidence of strong correlations between trust and lustration measures. Finally, this paper outlines how late lustration programs are being used to widen and deepen the vetting of persons in “positions of public trust,” as part of the on-going regional reform process.