Can the EU maintain its social ambitions in an era of rising geopolitical pressures and competing budget priorities?

This question was at the centre of an expert discussion on the future of the European Social Fund (ESF+), which took place on 29 May 2026 in Bratislava, organised by the Office of the European Parliament in Slovakia and the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA).

CELSI Managing Director Marta Kahancová joined the panel alongside Miriam Lexmann, Member of the European Parliament (KDH/EPP), and Viliam Michalovič, Director General for EU Programme Management at the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family. The discussion was moderated by Natália Babicová.

Marta argued that Slovakia lacks a long-term expert strategy clearly defining where the country should be heading.

She stressed that the state must respond not merely politically, but above all professionally — whether the issue is brain drain, support for the most vulnerable, or the functioning of the labour market.

She also highlighted the importance of institutional trust: when people feel that the state is not helping them, they lose confidence in its institutions — and building that trust requires EU funds to be used effectively and transparently.

📰 The article of the SITA news agency: https://sita.sk/miliony-z-bruselu-nestacia-regiony-podla-lexmann-potrebuju-vacsie-pravomoci/

📺 The full video recording of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZo2W_654L4

Thank you to SFPA and the Office of the European Parliament in Slovakia for the invitation and for bringing together such a timely discussion. 🙏

#CELSI #MartaKahancova #EuropeanSocialFund #ESF #SocialEurope #EUBudget #Slovakia #LabourMarket #SocialPolicy #SFPA