Michael Bothager - Photographer based in Copenhagen, Denmark

Kosovo Serbs

The ending of the Kosovo conflict in 1999 marked the end of the Balkan Wars. As NATO forces went into Kosovo, the Serbian military and Police fled north into Serbia, leaving the Serbian population unprotected from the returning Albanian population. The Albanians sought revenge from the atrocities committed by the Serbs, and during the next decade, several riots and attacks threatened the Serbs in Kosovo, forcing more than 200.000 Serbians to flee.

Today, more than 10.000 Serbs are internally displaced in Kosovo, living in small enclaves in the Albanian dominated areas or in the Serbian dominated north.

Many Serbs feel, that the heart of Serbia is Kosovo, and they have never recognized Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence made on February 17th, 2008. The situation is still unresolved, since Serbia is under pressure from the European Union to accept Kosovo's independence.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Vladan Lazic looks out the window of the small convenience store in the village Gojbuje in central Kosovo.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Strpce is the southernmost Serbian enclave in Kosovo, close to the formerly famous ski area Brezovica. Almost 10.000 Serbs live in the area, scattered in a handful of villages.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Two speeches held by Milosovic in 1987 and 1989 for a million Serbs at Kosovo Polje has been interpreted as a encouragement to serb nationalism and an endorsement of the ethnic superiority of the Serbs.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Alaksandra Todorovic, 15, talks to her parents Dosta, 41, and Dragan, 43, before going to school. She attends the High School in Strpce, the southernmost Serbian enclave in Kosovo, does not expect to go to College.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Barricade in Jarinje (near Leposavic), between the Kosovo and Serbian border posts. During the second half of 2011, Serbs in Northern Kosovo setup setup barricades to restrict the movement of KFOR and EULEX.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::A Montenegrin Serb at the barricade in Jarinje (near Leposavic), between the Kosovo and Serbian border posts. During 2011, Serbs barricaded roads in Northern Kosovo to restrict the movement of KFOR and EULEX.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::The majority of the houses in the Serbian villages are heated with firewood, usually only in a single room which functions as kitchen and living room.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::The Serbs in the Balkans are united through the Serbian Orthodox Church, and religion plays a central role in the everyday life.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::New Years Eve in Zvecan, Northern Kosovo. Locals partying at Restaurant Galija.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Javorka Cvejic, 34, lives in Camp Padaliste, a small IDP container settlement at the outskirts of the Serbian enclave Gracanica, with her mother Milanka, 71.

Kosovo Serbs left behind:: Camp Padaliste, a small IDP container settlement at the outskirts of the largest Serbian enclave Gracanica. The camp is run by the Serbian Red Cross.

Kosovo Serbs left behind:: Milanka Cvejic, 71, at the entrance to their container home in Camp Padaliste. In July 1999, her son Sasa was killed with 13 other Serbs outside their village Kraiste, which made them flee.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Serbian Cemetery in Strpce, the southernmost Serbian enclave.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::The Serbian Christmas is celebrated on January 6th. A tradition is to go into the woods and get a christmas tree, which is burned later christmas evening.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Dragan Todorovic, 43, collects hay for his horse. He later had to sell the horse during financial hard times.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Locals in Strpce celebrates the Slava of Saint Stefan.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Aleksander looks out the window from his grandparents home in Gojbuje.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Mladin Cvejic, 71, lives with his wife, daughter and three grandchildren in Gracanica.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Religious icons depicting Saints are seen in almost every Serbian home.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Dosta Todorovic, 41, and her son Nenad, 18.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Locals from Strpce drinking Rakija after they have collected the traditional Serbian christmas trees.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::A family mourns the loss of a family member.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::During the riots in March 2004, the village Svinjare was attacked by Albanians from nearby Vushttri and Mitrovica, Kosovo in March 2004. Today only a single Serbian family lives here, Vojislav ÒIskoÓ Jovic, 59, and his wife Darinca, 59.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Little Zvecan, a small city build for IDPÕs from the Balkan Wars. In 2004, many IDPÕs from Svinjare came here after the Albanian riots.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::On the main road from Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, to Mitrovica in the north, the empty frames of Serbian houses flanks the road in the Albanian dominated areas.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::The largest Serbian population in Kosovo is in the north, where the proximity to Serbia means safer living conditions and more job opportunities.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::The village Gojbuje is trapped between three Albanian villages. Around 500 serbs lived here before the Kosovo conflict. By December 2010, more than 300 has left the village.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Nebosja Ilic, 38, lives with his mother Danitca Ilic, 61, in an apartment built for internally displaced people (IDP) in Laplje Selo in Kosovo. The family was forced out at gunpoint from their home in Djakovica at 1am the 28th of June 1999.

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Info

This site features my photography

I am a Danish freelance photojournalist based in Copenhagen, Denmark. I believe in the power of the image, that it can make people act. My work follows the tradition of concerned photography, documenting social issues.

After a career as an IT consultant, I changed direction to become a photojournalist. I enrolled at the Danish School of Journalism. As part of my education, I interned for 18 months at the major danish daily Berlingske.

I am available for assignments, both domestic and international. Contact me for assignment inquiries.

Have a look at my tumblr playground.

Jeg er freelance fotograf med base i København og løser fotografiske opgaver i hele landet og i udlandet.

Jeg tror på at et billede kan påvirke mennesker, og at det få dem til at forholde sig til hvad de ser. Om det så er reportagebilleder fra ulykker of fattige, eller præsentation af medarbejdere i et firma.

Jeg er uddannet fra Danmarks Journalisthøjskole og løser opgaver for dagblade, fagblade, magasiner og virksomheder - alle former for fotografi.

Kontakt mig for et tilbud på din opgave.

Contact info

Phone: +45.2211.4477
Email: info@michaelbothager.dk

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