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Sorrow is slowly giving in to determined work in the Commerce and Tourism Trade Union of the Serb Republic. This is what Bogdan would have wanted us to do, his colleagues say. The death of union president Bogdan Davidovic in a car accident two weeks ago has left a space which is hard to fill.

Nenad Milekic, who was working as researcher and organisation secretary, is now taking care of the daily administration of the union. He is supported by three members of the union's Republican Board, who act as temporary co-presidents.

Natalija Djukic, Nenad Milekic and Vesna Kliska now share the responsibilities in the Commerce and Tourism Trade Union in Laktashi, the Serb Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The trade union solidarity project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, working with the commerce and finance unions, has two young colleagues placed in the Serb Republic. Natalija Djukic and Vesna Kliska. They will now continue to work with Nenad as well as with the finance trade union, on the many training and organisation building activities.

Meeting with the Republican Board of the Commerce and Tourism Trade Union in Laktashi last Thursday, Jan Furstenborg of Uni Commerce confirmed that the project commitments to the union will continue to be honoured without any changes. The board members on their side confirmed that also they want to continue the cooperation and will give all possible support to the FIET project office. Also the work within the Coordinating Committee of Commercial Workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which Bogdan was co-president of, will remain a priority.

Jan Furstenborg and Cedo Volas met in Banja Luka, the Serb Republic,  last week.

In discussions with Cedo Volas, the president of the Trade Union Confederation of the Serb Republic, the economic situation of the Commerce and Tourism Trade Union was discussed. It was agreed that the confederation together with the project and the new union leadership will take concrete steps to ensure that a sound basis for the future development of the union is created.

Changes in the payments systems at the beginning of this year, as well as a general deterioration of the economic situation, has lead to a dramatic decrease of the number of paying trade union members. This problem is particularly difficult in commerce, where many enterprises are already privatised and where the workplaces are usually small. 

During his two day visit to the Serb Republic, Jan Furstenborg also met with Bogdan Davidovic's family and expressed the condolences of Uni and its affiliates as well as the deep feelings of Bogdan's many friends abroad.