IN ANTICIPATION OF OCTOBER 30 – Spomenka Šehovac: Unity Sustained “Orao” Even in the Hardest Times
Spomenka Šehovac from Sarajevo spent more than 37 years at “Orao” a.d. Bijeljina, working as a mechanical installations technologist and later as a planner in the technical and material preparation department. On the occasion of October 30 – the Company Day – she emphasized that it was unity that kept their collective strong even through the most difficult wartime years.
Šehovac explained that she began working at “Orao” in 1987, remaining in the company when the Defense and Homeland War began.
“During the war, many workers left, so we all had to do everything. The technical preparation department was reduced to just two people, so I later moved there to work as a planning technologist. What was hardest for me was coming to terms with the losses and tragedies, and I never want such times to return. We left everything behind – even the graves of our loved ones – and came to Bijeljina. Some of our machines were stored in Panafleks, others in Sava... we didn’t even know where we would sleep,” recalls Spomenka.
However, she says that military discipline and solidarity gave them the strength and determination to bring “Orao” back to full operation.
“The workers respected each other, we helped one another regardless of expertise, age, or position. At the same time, colleagues were assembling machines while also building and renovating the homes of our workers. That required both physical and emotional strength. When we finally installed all the equipment, we started hiring new workers and teaching them — and here, there was truly a lot to learn,” says Šehovac.
She emphasized that a good and united team within a company is of great importance — not only for the employees but also for the development of the local community.
“If I hadn’t worked in a collective like ‘Orao’, I don’t know how I would have educated my children or how my family would have managed. I still claim that this is one of the healthiest working collectives, where order, work, and discipline have always prevailed. I’ll be happy if ‘Orao’ one day reaches the pre-war figure of 1,200 employees again,” said Spomenka Šehovac.
Spomenka retired in 2023 and says she looks forward to October 30 – the Company Day – with special emotion.
“I can’t wait to see my former colleagues again, because I will always consider them part of my family,” concludes Spomenka Šehovac.
