Ljubljana – ESI at Second International Labour Congress

Adnan delivered a keynote. Photo: ESI

ESI senior analyst Adnan Ćerimagić took part in the Second International Labour Congress, held on 20 and 21 November 2025 at the Congress Center Plaza in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The event, titled “World Divided – Labour United,” gathered ministers, members of parliament, EU officials, academics, and labour representatives from across Europe to discuss the future of Europe’s social model, economic democracy, and regional integration.

Together with EU enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, Adnan delivered the keynote address and then took part in Panel 3: The EU’s Democratic Dilemma – Labour, Rights, and Regional Integration, offering ESI’s perspective on the political and institutional challenges shaping the Western Balkans’ accession to the EU.

He argued that EU’s contribution to labour rights and democratic standards in candidate countries depends on a credible enlargement process, and presented ESI’s analysis of how deeper integration can support both democratic resilience and social justice in candidate countries.

The panel, moderated by Faris Kočan of the University of Ljubljana, also included Sandra Benčić, member of the Croatian Parliament (Možemo!); Radomir Lazović, member of the Serbian National Assembly (Green-Left Front); Monika Zajkova, member of the Parliament of North Macedonia; and Andrej Zorko, president of the Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (ZSSS).

• ESI proposal: “Preventing violence – transform Kosovo dialogue”
• ESI background: “Scoreboard - The true state of accession - What the Commission assessments reveal”
• ESI proposal: “End the turtle race How the EU can address the crisis of the accession process”
• ESI proposal: “Offer the four freedoms to the Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova For a merit-based EU accession process with a credible goal”
• ESI proposal: “47 again? Russia out, Kosovo in Support Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe”
• ESI proposal: “Abandon clichés about Bosnia: Push EU-related reforms instead of arbitrary conditions”
• ESI proposal: “No partition: Why Kosovo and Serbia must not discuss territory”
• ESI report: “Anti-Corruption Report for the West Balkans: Measure corruption in order to fight it”