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. Their situation is undefined, as Serbia is under pressure from the European Union to accept Kosovo's independence. The Serbs of Kosovo are afraid they are being left behind.

Kosovo Serbs left behind::Javorka Cvejic, 34, lives in Camp Padaliste, a small IDP container settlement at the outskirts of the largest Serbian enclave Gracanica, with her mother Milanka, 71. In July 1999, her brother Sasa was killed with 13 other Serbs o

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

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. The International Criminal

Kosovo Serbs left behind::The village Gojbuje is trapped between three Albanian villages. Around 500 lived here before the Kosovo conflict. By December 2010, more than 300 has left the village. Lack of physical security from the Albanians and no employmen

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

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. Dragoslav Lazic goes into the woods just outside Gojbuje, a village in the cen

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

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. Father Nikola, a Serbian Orthodox priest, lives in North Mitrovica, with his family

Kosovo Serbs left behind::More than ten years after the end of the Kosovo conflict, destroyed houses still remain all over Kosovo. 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.

Top

Info

Photo by Sara Galbiati

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

Top