Kosovo Serbs

Kosovo Serbs

Serbët në Kosovë (Albanian) косовски Срби (Serbian) kosovski Srbi (Serbian)
Girls from Štrpce in Serbian traditional clothing
Regions with significant populations
Kosovo North Mitrovica: 22,530 Leposavić: 18,000 Zvečan: 16,000 Zubin Potok: 13,900 Gračanica: 7,209 Ranilug: 3,692 Štrpce: 3,148 Novo Brdo: 3,112	ca. 95,000[1][2][3]
Serbia	68,514[4]
Languages
Serbian
Religion
Serbian Orthodox Church
Related ethnic groups
Other South Slavs, especially other Serbs.

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v t e

Kosovo Serbs form the largest ethnic minority group in Kosovo (5–6%).^{[1][2][5][6][7][8]} The precise number of Kosovo Serbs is difficult to determine as they have boycotted national censuses. However, it is estimated that there are about 95,000 of them, nearly half of whom live in North Kosovo.^[3][9] Other Kosovo Serb communities live in the Southern municipalities of Kosovo.^[6][10]

The medieval Kingdom of Serbia (1217–1346) and the Serbian Empire (1346–1371) included parts of the territory of Kosovo until its annexation by the Ottomans following the Battle of Kosovo (1389), considered one of the most notable events of Serbian history.^[11][12] Afterwards, it was a part of the Serbian Despotate. Modern Serbian historiography considers Kosovo in this period to be the political, religious and cultural core of the medieval Serbian state.^[13]

In the Ottoman period (1455–1913), the situation of the Serb population in Kosovo went through different phases. In the 16th century, the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was re-established and its status strengthened even more. At the end of 18th century, the support of the Patriarchate to the Habsburgs during the Great Turkish War of 1683–1699 triggered a wave of Serb migrations to locations under the control of the Habsburg monarchy.^[14] After the independence of the Principality of Serbia to its north, Kosovo came increasingly to be seen by the mid-19th century as the "cradle of Serb civilization" and called the "Serbian Jerusalem". In the area of Kosovo, Serbs have built and renovated approximately 1,300 monasteries, churches and churchyards since the 12th century, in at least 1,000 settlements.^[15] Kosovo was annexed by the Kingdom of Serbia in 1912, following the First Balkan War.

As a region of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Kosovo was divided in several banovinas. In the pre-World War II period, the Yugoslav colonisation of Kosovo took place which aimed to increase the number of Serbs in Kosovo with colonists from Central Serbia and Montenegro. After World War II, Kosovo's districts were reunited. They were referred to as the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo. Serbs were one of the people of the province within the Socialist Republic of Serbia (1944–1992). As a result of the Kosovo War and following by its declaration of independence, in 2008 it is partially recognized by the international community. Serbs are the second largest community in Kosovo.^[6][10]

More than half of Kosovo's pre-1999 Serb population (226,000),^[16] including 37,000 Romani, 15,000 Balkan Muslims (including Ashkali, Bosniaks, and Gorani), and 7,000 other non-Albanian civilians were expelled to central Serbia and Montenegro, following the Kosovo War.^[17] According to the 2013 Brussels Agreement the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities, a self-governing association of municipalities with a majority Serb population in Kosovo is proposed.

The formal names for the Serb community in Kosovo is "Serbs of Kosovo and Metohija" (Srbi na Kosovu i Metohiji) or "Serbs of Kosmet" (Kosmetski Srbi), in use by the community itself and the Serbian government. They are also referred to as Serbs of Kosovo (Serbian: Косовски Срби/Kosovski Srbi) or Serbs in Kosovo (Serbian: Срби на Косову/Srbi na Kosovu, Albanian: Serbët në Kosovë). The term "Kosovo Serbs" is predominantly used in English. They are known by the demonym Kosovari,^[18] though this is properly used for inhabitants of the region of Kosovo (in the narrow sense – centred around the Kosovo Field), along with Metohijci (of Metohija).^[19]

Left: Stefan Dečanski, King of Serbia and founder of Visoki Dečani monastery
Right: Main Gate of the Fortress in Prizren, which Stefan Dušan used as capital of Serbian Empire

Sclaveni raided and settled the western Balkans in the 6th and 7th century.^[20] The White Serbs are mentioned in De Administrando Imperio as having settled the Balkans during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641), however, research does not support that the White Serbian tribe was part of this later migration (as held by historiography) rather than migrating with the rest of Early Slavs.^[21] Serbian linguistical studies concluded that the Early South Slavs were made up of a western and eastern branch, of parallel streams, roughly divided in the Timok–Osogovo–Šar line.^[22] However, per Ivo Banac in the early Middle Ages Eastern Herzegovinian dialects were Eastern South Slavic, but since the 12th century, the Shtokavian dialects, including Eastern Herzegovinian, began to separate themselves from the rest of the Eastern South Slavic dialects.^[23]

Starting from the first half of the 9th century, and up to the second half of the 10th century, several Byzantine–Bulgarian and Bulgarian–Serbian wars were fought in various regions, including Kosovo, that came under Bulgarian control. During the reign of Byzantine emperor John I Tzimiskes (969-976), Byzantine control was established throughout the region, including Kosovo and up to the Catepanate of Ras.^[24][25][26]

Byzantine rule in the region was supressed by Samuel of Bulgaria (976-1014), but later restored by emperor Basil II in 1018. Under Byantine rule, local Eastern Orthodox eparchies of Lipljan and Prizren were placed under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Ohrid (1019).^[27][28]

In 1040–1041 a massive Bulgarian rebellion against Byzantine rule broke out, which included Kosovo. Another rebellion broke out in 1072, in which Serbian prince Constantine Bodin was crowned Emperor of Bulgaria at Prizren, however, despite some initial success, he was eventually captured and the rebellion was suppressed.^[29][30][31] Vukan I, the new independent Serbian Grand Prince, began raiding Byzantine territories during the early 1090s, first in Kosovo,^[32] capturing Lipjan,^[33][34] and advancing further towards Skoplje and Vranje.^[35] He broke several peace treaties which he personally negotiated with the Byzantine Emperor at Zvečan and Lipjan, until finally submitting in 1106.

Novo Brdo Fortress was built by Stefan Milutin, King of Serbia. It has been referred as the "Mother of all Serbian cities"

Patriarchate of Peć, the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church from the 14th century when its status was upgraded into a patriarchate

In 1166, a Serbian prince, Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty, asserted independence after an uprising against the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus.^[36] Nemanja defeated his brother, Tihomir, at Pantino near Pauni, and drowned him in the Sitnica river. Nemanja was eventually defeated and had to return some of his conquests, and vouched to the Emperor that he would not raise his hand against him. In 1183, Stefan Nemanja embarked on a new offensive allied with the Kingdom of Hungary after the death of Manuel I Komnenos in 1180, which marked the end of Byzantine domination over the region of Kosovo. Nemanja's son, Stefan, ruled a realm reaching the river of Lab in the south. Stefan conquered all of Kosovo by 1208, by which time he had conquered Prizren and Lipjan, and moved the border of his realm to the Šar mountain. In 1217, Stefan was crowned King of Serbs, due to which he is known in historiography as Stefan "the First-Crowned".^[37]

In 1219, the Serbian Church was given autocephaly, with Hvosno, Prizren and Lipljan being the Orthodox Christian eparchies with territory in modern-day Kosovo. By the end of the 13th century, the centre of the Serbian Church was moved to Peja from Žiča.

Prizren serving as the capital of Serbia during the 14th century, and was a centre of trade.^[38] King Stefan Dušan founded the great Monastery of the Holy Archangel near Prizren in 1342–1352. During those periods, several major monasteries were endowed with vast possessions in the regions of Kosovo and Metohija.^[39] The Serbian Kingdom was elevated into an Empire in 1345–46. Stefan Dušan received John VI Kantakuzenos in 1342 at Pauni to discuss an alliance against the Byzantine Emperor. In 1346, the Serbian Archbishopric at Peja was upgraded into a Patriarchate, but it was not recognized before 1375. After the death of Dušan in 1355, the fall of the Serbian Empire began, with feudal disintegration during the reign of his successor, Stefan Uroš V (r. 1355–1371).^[40][41]

Parts of Kosovo became domains of Vukašin Mrnjavčević, but Vojislav Vojinović expanded his demesne further onto Kosovo. The armies of Vukašin from Pristina and his allies defeated Vojislav's forces in 1369, putting a halt to his advances. After the Battle of Maritsa on 26 September 1371 in which the Mrnjavčević brothers lost their lives, Đurađ I Balšić of Zeta took Prizren and Peja in 1372. A part of Kosovo became the demesne of the Lazar of Serbia.^[42][43]

The Ottoman Empire invaded the realm of Prince Lazar on 28 June 1389, at the Battle of Kosovo near Pristina, at Gazimestan. The Serbian army was led by Prince Lazar who led 12,000–30,000 men against the Ottoman army of 27,000–40,000 men. Lazar was killed in battle, while Sultan Murad also lost his life, believed to have been assassinated by Serbian knight Miloš Obilić. The outcome of the battle is deemed inconclusive, with the new Sultan Bayezid having to retreat to consolidate his power. Vuk Branković came to prominence as the local lord of Kosovo, though he was an Ottoman vassal at times, between 1392 and 1395.^[44][45]

Another battle occurred in Kosovo 1448 between the Hungarian troops supported by the Albanian ruler Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg on one side, and Ottoman troops supported by the Branković dynasty in 1448. Skanderbeg's troops, who were en route to help John Hunyadi, were stopped by Branković's troops, as he was more or less an Ottoman vassal. Hungarian regent John Hunyadi lost the battle after a 2-day fight, but essentially stopped the Ottoman advance northwards.^[46] In 1455, southern regions of the Serbian Despotate were invaded again, and the region of Kosovo was finally conquered by the Ottoman Empire and incorporated into the Ottoman administrative system.^[47]

In 1455, new castles rose to prominence in Pristina and Vushtrri, centres of Branković District.

The Ottomans brought Islamization with them, particularly in towns, and later also created the Kosovo Vilayet as one of the Ottoman territorial entities. During the Islamisation many Churches and Holy Orthodox Christian places were razed to the ground or turned into mosques. The big Monastery of Saint Archangels near Prizren was torn down at the end of the 16th century and the material used to build the Mosque of Sinan-pasha, an Islamized Albanian, in Prizren. Although the Serbian Orthodox Church was officially abolished in 1532, an Islamized Serb from Bosnia, Grand Vizier Mehmed-pasha Sokolović influenced the restoration of the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć in 1557. Special privileges were provided, which helped the survival of Serbs and other Christians on Kosovo.^[48]

Kosovo was taken by the Austrian forces during the War of the Holy League (1683–1698). In 1690, the Serbian Patriarch of Peć Arsenije III, who previously escaped a certain death, led 37,000 families from Kosovo, to evade Ottoman wrath since Kosovo had just been retaken by the Ottomans.^[49] In 1766, the Ottomans abolished the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć.

By the end of the 19th century, Albanians became the dominating nation of Kosovo.^[50]

During the First Serbian Uprising, Serbs from the northern parts of Kosovo prepared to join the uprising, but an Ottoman army arrived to suppress their efforts before they could partake in the uprising. Ottoman violence resulted in a number of Serbs migrating to central Serbia in order to join rebels led by Karađorđe.^[51][52] The Kelmendi were the only Albanian tribe to fully support Serb rebels.^{[53] [54]} After the independence of the Principality of Serbia to its north, Kosovo came increasingly to be seen by the mid-19th century as the “cradle of Serb civilization” and called the "Serbian Jerusalem".^{[55][56][57][58][59]}

The term Arnauti or Arnautaši was coined by 19th and early 20th century Serbian ethnographers to refer to the Albanians in Kosovo, which they perceived as Albanised Serbs; Serbs who had converted to Islam and went through a process of Albanisation.^[60][61] In modern anthropology, the historical validity of the term has been criticized as well as use as a tool of nation-building and homogenization policies of the Serbian state.^{[62][63][64][65]}

In the aftermath of the expulsion of the Albanians (1877–1878) in the newly annexed territories of southern Serbia and the resettlements of tens of thousands of Albanians mostly in eastern Kosovo, attacks against Serbs took place, during and after the Serbian–Ottoman War. In 1901, massacres against Serbs were carried out by Albanians in North Kosovo and Pristina.^[66] Jovan Cvijić claimed that the Albanians were responsible for forcing an estimated 150,000 Serbs out of Kosovo from 1876 until 1912.^[67][68] Albanians were also accused of conducting a campaign of terror against the Serbian population who remained.^[69][67]

Serb women in traditional clothing, in Gnjilane, 1911

Serb women in traditional clothing, near Prizren, 1913

The arising Kingdom of Serbia planned a restoration of its rule in Kosovo as Ottoman might crumbled on the Balkan peninsula. The period witnessed a rise of Serbian nationalism. Some historians suggest that Austro-Hungarian emissaries were active in areas where Serbs and Albanians coexisted, deliberately stirring conflicts and divisions between the two nations to advance their state's political interests and influence.^[70] During the First Balkan War, the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Montenegro fought alongside the Kingdoms of Greece and Bulgaria as part of the Balkan League to drive the Ottoman forces out of Europe and to incorporate the spoils into their respective states. Serbia, Montenegro and Greece had acquired the entire Western Balkan (Albanian-inhabited territories) with the exception of Vlora in the hope of achieving recognition with their new borders. Resistance from the Albanians across their entire region in favour of their own proposed independent nation state led to fighting between the Balkan League armies (less geographically uninvolved Bulgaria) and Albanian forces. To end the conflict, the Treaty of London decreed an independent Principality of Albania (close to its present borders), with most of the Vilayet of Kosovo awarded to Serbia and the Metohija region awarded to Montenegro.^[71][72]

During the First World War, in the winter of 1915–1916, the Serbian army withdrew through Kosovo in a bid to evade the forces of the Central Powers. Thousands died of starvation and exposure.^[73] In 1918, the Serbian army pushed the Central Powers out of Kosovo, and the region was unified as Montenegro subsequently joined the Kingdom of Serbia. The monarchy was then transformed into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.^[74]

The 1918–1929 period of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes witnessed a decrease in the Serbian population of the region and an increase in the number of Albanians. In 1929, the state was renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The territories of Kosovo were split among the Zeta Banovina, the Banate of Morava and the Banate of Vardar. The state lasted until the World War II invasion and Axis occupation of Yugoslavia.

After the invasion of Yugoslavia (6–18 April 1941), the Axis powers divided territory among themselves. Kosovo and Metohija was divided between Italian, German and Bulgarian occupation. The largest part of what is today Kosovo was under Italian occupation and was annexed into an axis Greater Albania, the Albanian Kingdom through a decree on 12 August 1941, while northern parts were included in German-occupied Serbia, and southeastern parts into the Bulgarian occupational zone.^[75] Parts of eastern Montenegro and western Macedonia were also annexed to Albania.

During the occupation, the population was subject to expulsion, internment, forced labour, torture, destruction of private property, confiscation of land and livestock, destruction and damaging of monasteries, churches, cultural-historical monuments and graveyards.^[75] There were waves of violence against Serbs in some periods, such as April 1941, June 1942, September 1943, and continuous pressure in various ways.^[76] Civilians were sent to camps and prisons established by the Italian, German and Bulgarian occupation, and the Albanian community.^[77] The expulsion of Serbs proved problematic, as they had performed important functions in the region, and been running most of the businesses, mills, tanneries, and public utilities, and been responsible for most of the useful agricultural production.^[78] Most of the war crimes were perpetrated by the Vulnetari ("volunteers"),^[79] Balli Kombëtar and the SS Skanderbeg Division.^[80] The Skanderbeg Division was better known for murdering, raping, and looting in predominantly Serbian areas than for participating in combat operations on behalf of the German war effort.^[81] The most harsh position of Serbs was in the Italian (Albanian) zone.^[82] A large part of the Serb population was expelled or forced to flee in order to survive.^[82] Serbian estimations put the number of expelled at around 100,000; an estimated 40,000 from the Italian-occupation zone, 30,000 from the German zone, and 25,000 from the Bulgarian zone.^[83] It is estimated that 10,000 Serbs and Montenegrins were killed in Kosovo during WWII.^[84]

The Province of Kosovo was formed in 1946 as an autonomous region to protect its regional Albanian majority within the People's Republic of Serbia as a member of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia under the leadership of the former Partisan leader, Josip Broz Tito, with limited self-government.^[85] After Yugoslavia's name changed to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia's to the Socialist Republic of Serbia in 1963, the now-termed Autonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija's status was equalized with that of Vojvodina;^[85] further constitutional amendments in 1968 elevated the autonomous provinces to constitutional elements of the federation while the term socialist was added and the term Metohija was removed from Kosovo.^[86] In the 1974 constitution, the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo received higher powers, allowing it to have its own administration, assembly, and judiciary. It also received membership in the collective presidency and the federal parliament, in which it held veto power, though remaining as a Socialist Autonomous Region within the Socialist Republic of Serbia.^[87][88]

In the 1970s, an Albanian nationalist movement pursued full recognition of the province of Kosovo as another republic within the federation, while the most extreme elements aimed for full-scale independence. Tito's government dealt with the situation swiftly, but only gave it a temporary solution. In 1981, Kosovar Albanian students organized protests demanding more autonomy for Kosovo. During this period, the ethnic balance of Kosovo witnessed disproportional increase as the number of Albanians rose dramatically due to higher birth rates.^[90] Serbs barely increased and dropped in the full share of the total population down to 10% due to higher demographic raise of the Albanian population.

In 1986, the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) was working on a document, which later would be known as the SANU Memorandum. An unfinished edition was filtered to the press. In the essay, SANU explained the Serbian peoples history as victims of a 500-year and more genocide from Kosovo, and therefore called for the revival of Serb nationalism. During this time, Slobodan Milošević's rise to power started in the League of the Socialists of Serbia. Milošević used the discontent reflected in the SANU memorandum for his political goals. One of the events that contributed to Milošević's rise of power was the Gazimestan speech, delivered in front of 1,000,000 Serbs at the central celebration marking the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo, held at Gazimestan on 28 June 1989.

Soon afterwards, as approved by the Assembly in 1990, the autonomy of Kosovo was revoked back to the old status (1971). Milošević, however, did not remove Kosovo's seat from the Federal Presidency. After Slovenia's secession from Yugoslavia in 1991, Milošević used the seat to attain dominance over the Federal government, outvoting his opponents.

Left: Destroyed Serbian Orthodox Holy Trinity Church in Petrić village
Right: Ruins of a Serb part of Prizren destroyed during 2004 unrest in Kosovo.

After the Dayton Agreement of 1995, the Kosovo Liberation Army, ethnic-Albanian paramilitary organisation that sought the separation of Kosovo and the eventual creation of a Greater Albania,^{[91][92][93][94][95]} began attacking Serbian civilians and Yugoslav army and police, bombing police stations and government buildings, killing Yugoslav police and innocent people of all nationalities, even Albanians who were not on their side.^[96] As of 2014^[update], mass graves of Kosovar Albanian victims are still being found.^[97] There have been many reports of abuses and war crimes committed by the KLA during and after the conflict, including the massacres of civilians in (Lake Radonjić, Klečka, Staro Gracko, and Gnjilane, along with prison camps (such as Lapušnik), organ theft and destruction of medieval churches and monuments.^[98][99]

The war ended on 10 June 1999, after a 78-day bombing campaign by NATO against Yugoslavia, resulting in the withdrawal of Yugoslav troops. Kosovo was placed under U.N. administration and Kosovo Force (KFOR), a NATO-led peacekeeping force was deployed to the province.^[100] According to the 1991 Yugoslavia census, there were 194,190 Serbs in Kosovo.^[101] Following the Kosovo War, a large number of Serbs fled or were expelled and many of the remaining civilians were subjected to abuse.^{[102][103][104][105][106]} After Kosovo and other Yugoslav Wars, Serbia became home to highest number of refugees and IDPs (including Kosovo Serbs) in Europe.^{[107][108][109]} During unrest in Kosovo in March 2004, 35 churches and monasteries were destroyed or seriously damaged.

In total, 156 Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries have been destroyed since June 1999, including during March 2004. Many of the churches and monasteries dated back to the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries.^[110] KLA fighters are accused of vandalizing Devič monastery and terrorizing the staff. KFOR troops said KLA rebels vandalized centuries-old murals and paintings in the chapel and stole two cars and all the monastery's food.^[111]

The interim Kosovo government unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Sunday, 17 February 2008.^[112] Serbia refuses to recognise this declaration of independence. Kosovo's self-proclaimed independence has been recognised by 98 UN countries, and one non-UN country, the Republic of China (Taiwan). The remaining Kosovo Serbs (mostly in North Kosovo) want to remain part of Serbia, but Serbian majority towns are now rare in Kosovo.

After the declaration of Independence, some officials^[who?] in the Serbian government have proposed a partition of Kosovo, with North Kosovo and Štrpce becoming part of Serbia or given autonomy. The United States opposes the partition of Kosovo, stressing that the "great majority of countries around the world are not going to stand for that."^[113] In response to the seizure of railways in Northern Kosovo and formation of Serbian offices to serve as part of a parallel government, the-then Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaci stated that they would "not tolerate any parallel institution on Kosovo's territory" and would assert their authority over all of Kosovo.^[114] The UN's Special Representative in Kosovo said the "international community has made it very clear that no partition of Kosovo will be acceptable."^[115] Ivan Eland, a Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute, suggested such "a partition within a partition" would prevent a "Serbia-Kosovo War" and provides the "best chance" of Kosovo having a long-term stable relationship with Serbia.^[116] Pieter Feith, the European Union's special representative in Kosovo, and the International Civilian Representative for Kosovo said no plans were under discussion to carve out a canton or grant any other autonomy to Serbs living in the north of Kosovo.^[117]

On 19 April 2013, Kosovo and Serbia signed the Brussels Agreement. The deal established the proposal of the Community of Serb Municipalities that included Serb-majority municipalities.^[118] It envisaged the withdrawal of Serbian presence in the north, in exchange for the expansion of self-governance for Kosovo Serbs. The agreement also defined the structure of the police and local elections, called for integration of Serbian institutions into the Kosovo police and judicial authorities within Kosovo's legal framework. Belgrade did not recognize Kosovo's independence but both sides agreed to not prevent the other in its EU integration.^[119]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kosovo Serbs found themselves in a limbo, stuck between different orders issued by Serbia and Kosovo.^[120] In November 2020, during the COVID pandemics, Kosovo policemen and inspectors stormed and temporarily closed several Serb-owned pharmacies in North Kosovo, attempting to confiscate medicine supplies, because the items were allegedly not registered within the central system in Pristina. The act was met with citizen protest which were on the verge of escalation.^[121][122] In December 2020, the vaccines for COVID-19 were sent to North Kosovo by Serbia without any consultation with Kosovan authorities. Kosovo opposed the arrival of those vaccines, claiming that they were illegally distributed by Serbia.^[123][124] Only few people were vaccinated and the remaining vaccines were sent back after an investigation was launched.^[125] In 2021 health workers from North Kosovo protested against arrests of their colleagues who are employed in the hospitals which take care of patients with COVID-19. They described the actions as "inhumane" and sent protesting letters to various international institutions and organisations.^[126]

In September 2021, Serbs in North Kosovo protested following the government's reciprocal decision to ban Serbian license plates entering Kosovo. The ensuing crisis was temporarily eased when Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement to end the standoff, with stickers being placed over each country’s insignia on number plates at border crossings.^[127] In late July 2022 tensions flared up again when the Kosovo government declared that Serb-issued identity documents and vehicle licence plates would be invalid, prompting Serbs in North Kosovo to protest again by blocking roads. On 27 August, it was announced that Serbia agreed to abolish entry and exit documents for Kosovo ID holders while Kosovo committed to refrain from implementing such measures for Serbian ID holders.^[128] In November, ethnic Serbs resigned en masse from Kosovo state institutions in protest.^[129]

In April 2023, local elections were held, boycotted by ethnic Serbs. As a result, ethnic Albanian mayors were elected in the Serb-majority municipalities of Zvečan, Leposavić, Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica.^[130] When Kosovo police took control of the municipal buildings in Zvečan, Zubin Potok and Leposavić to allow the newly elected mayors to assume office, protesters gathered in front of the municipal buildings and tried stop the police from escorting the mayor inside, resulting in multiple injuries.^[131] On 24 September 2023, a group of Serb militants ambushed Kosovo Police units in the village of Banjska in North Kosovo, resulting in one policeman being killed and two others wounded, and three of the gunmen being killed.^[132] In February 2024, the Kosovar government banned the use of the Serbian dinar as a payment in Kosovo and North Kosovo.^[133] The move was criticized by the U.S. and E.U. since the Serb minority relies on financial assistance and social benefit payments from the government of Serbia.^[134]

Kosovo's Serb minority is often the target of demonstrations of hostility and attacks.^[135] In addition to that, members of the Kosovo Serbs community face mistreatment and prejudice in Serbia too.^[136]

During the 20th century, the Serb population of Kosovo constantly decreased. Today, Serbs mostly populate the enclaves across Kosovo, as well as North Kosovo, which comprises 11% of Kosovo's territory and where they comprise 95% of population. 1,200 km² (463 sq mi). Diplomats from the United Nations have voiced concern over slow progress on minority rights.^[139] Human Rights Watch pointed out discrimination against Serbs and Roma in Kosovo immediately after the war.^[102]

ECMI calculated, based on 2010 and 2013 estimations, that ca. 146,128 Serbs resided in Kosovo, that is, ca. 7.8% of the total population.^[8] In 2012, the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia estimated that the number was 90–120,000.^[140] The Republic of Kosovo-organized 2011 census did not take place in North Kosovo, and was boycotted by a considerable number of Serbs in southern Kosovo.^[8] The ECMI did call "for caution when referring to the 2011 Census in Kosovo".^[141] There are ten municipalities constituted by a Serb numerical majority.^[8] These are the four northern municipalities of North Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zvečan, Zubin Potok, and the six southern (enclave) municipalities of Gračanica, Štrpce, Novo Brdo, Ranilug, Parteš and Klokot.^[8] As of 2014, the OSCE estimates that around 96,000 Serbs live in Kosovo.^[9]

The UNHCR estimated in 2019 that the total number of IDPs (Serbs and non-Serbs) from Kosovo in Serbia are 68,514.^[4] Serbia has claimed (2018) that a total 199,584 IDPs from Kosovo (Serbs and non-Serbs) origin have settled and live in Serbia after the war based on the original data it gathered in 2000.^[142][143] The UNHCR reported in 2009, based on the official figures by the government of Serbia, that around 205,835 IDPs who fled from Kosovo lived in Serbia.^[144] These included Serbs, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians.^[145] The registration data in 2000 are the only official data which have been generated and there has been no re-registration of IDPs in Serbia since 2000. The same figure has been used in all official reports since then with some statistical reconfigurations. As such, the reliability of the registration of IDPs living in Serbia has been questioned.^{[142][143][146]}

In 2003, the number of Kosovo Serb IDPs in Montenegro was c. 12,000.^[147] The numbers do not include those that have received Montenegrin citizenship. As of 2015, there were at least 6,600 Kosovo Serb refugees in Montenegro.^[148] By 2019, there were 135 IDPs in total in Montenegro from Kosovo.^[4]

In 2017, per the Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, there were 94,998 Serbs in Kosovo. In the north, there were 47.1 percent of them and south of the Ibar lived 52.8 percent of the Serbs.^[149] The think-tank European Stability Initiative estimated that there were around 95,000 Serbs in Kosovo in 2023, based on primary school pupil data.^[3]

Left: Serbian traditional dance (kolo) and clothing from Gnjilane
Right: Gračanica monastery painting by Nadežda Petrović.

The Battle of Kosovo is particularly important to Serbian history, tradition, and national identity.^[150]

Eparchy of Raška and Prizren of Serbian orthodox church take care of Serbian people and Orthodox heritage in Kosovo. Numerous Serbian Orthodox monasteries and churches are spread around Kosovo. Some of them include: Banjska monastery, Devič monastery, Gračanica monastery, Patriarchal Monastery of Peć, Visoki Dečani monastery and Our Lady of Ljeviš. The last four make up the Medieval Monuments in Kosovo, founded by the Nemanjić dynasty, is a combined World Heritage Site.^[151]

Medieval fortifications built by Serbian rulers and lords present important cultural heritage.

In connection with social gatherings among the Serbs around the churches and monasteries called Sabori during the Slava and Hram (Patron of the monastery) there was a belief that everyone must dance (to instrumental accompaniments) in order to gain and secure good health.^[152] In upper Prizren the Sabor was held on 21 November by the ruins of the monastery of the Holy archangel founded by the Serbian Emperor Stefan Dušan the Mighty in the 14th century. There were also great social gatherings at the Kaljaja fortress.^[153]

Serbian folk music is rich in a large number of songs from Kosovo, which were especially preserved in the performances of Jordan Nikolić and Mara Đorđević.^[154]

The Serbs in Kosovo speak the dialects of Zeta-South Raška, Kosovo-Resava, and Prizren-South Morava.^[155]

Visoki Dečani Monastery

Patriarchate of Peć

Our Lady of Ljeviš

Gračanica Monastery

• Lazar of Serbia, Serbian ruler who led the army in the Battle of Kosovo, born in Prilepac fortress in Boževce village near Kamenica.
• Dragana of Serbia, Bulgarian empress consort
• Musić noble family
• Jelena Balšić, Serbian noblewoman
• Jovan Dragoslav, Serbian nobleman
• Mladen, magnate and vojvoda
• Vuk Branković, lord of District of Branković
• Đurađ Branković, lord of District of Branković
• Mara Branković
• Kantakuzina Katarina Branković
• Mahmud Pasha Angelović, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire

• Radivoje Milojković, prime minister of Principality of Serbia
• Dušan Mugoša, Presidents of the Assembly of SAP Kosovo
• Ilija Vakić, Chairman of the Executive Council of SAP Kosovo
• Bogoljub Nedeljković, Chairman of the Executive Council of SAP Kosovo
• Dragan Tomić, acting President of Serbia
• Aleksandar Tijanić, Minister of Information of Serbia and director of the Radio Television of Serbia
• Ivica Dačić, Prime Minister of Serbia
• Jorgovanka Tabaković, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia
• Slobodan Petrović, Deputy Prime Minister of Republic of Kosovo
• Aleksandar Jablanović, Minister of Communities and Returns of Republic of Kosovo^[156]
• Branislav Grbić, Minister of Communities and Returns of Republic of Kosovo
• Dalibor Jevtić, Minister of Communities and Returns of Republic of Kosovo
• Oliver Ivanović, State Secretary of the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija^[157]
• Bogoljub Karić, businessman and politician
• Vladimir Dobričanin, doctor and politician, Member of the Parliament of Montenegro
• Dragan Velić, Chairman of the Serbian National Council for Central Kosovo^[158]
• Radovan Ničić, first President of the Assembly of the Community and Municipalities of AP Kosovo
• Slaviša Ristić, former mayor of Zubin Potok^[159]

• Joanikije II, Archbishop of Peć and first Serbian Patriarch
• Pajsije, Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch
• Vikentije Popović-Hadžilavić, the first metropolitan of Metropolitanate of Karlovci
• Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta, Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch
• Lazar the Serb, monk and horologist who invented and built the first known mechanical public clock in Russia
• Martin Segon, Catholic Bishop of Ulcinj

• Miloš Obilić, knight during the invasion of the Ottoman Empire
• Vuk Isaković, military commander in Austrian service during the Austrian-Ottoman Wars
• Čolak-Anta, military commander and one of the most important figures of the First Serbian Uprising
• Vukajlo Božović, Serbian Orthodox priest and revolutionary who participated in the Balkan Wars as a commander of a detachment in Ibarski Kolašin
• Jake Allex, Serbian American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his service in the U.S. Army during World War I
• Boro Vukmirović, one of the organizers of the anti-fascist uprising in Kosovo
• Živko Gvozdić, commander in the Balkan Wars and World War I
• Kosta Pećanac, Chetnik commander
• Lazar Kujundžić, Chetnik commander
• Sava Petrović-Grmija, Chetnik soldier
• Božidar Delić, general of the Army of Yugoslavia
• Veljko Radenović, Serbian police general
• Zoran Radosavljević, pilot
• Milan Mojsilović, Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces

• Elder Grigorije, Serbian Orthodox clergyman and writer
• Marko Pećki, writer and poet
• Konstantin Mihailović, author of a memoir of his time as a Janissary in the army of the Ottoman Empire.
• Dimitrije Kantakuzin, writer who lived in the 15th century
• Vladislav the Grammarian, an Orthodox Christian monk, scribe, historian and theologian
• Grigorije Božović, writer
• Lazar Vučković, poet
• David Albahari, Serbian Jewish writer
• Darinka Jevrić, poet
• Dejan Stojanović, poet, writer and essayist
• Novica Petković, writer, professor and member of ANURS
• Mošo Odalović, poet

• Gligorije Elezović, historian and member of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts
• Atanasije Urošević, geographer and ethnologist
• Radivoje Papović, Rector of the University of Pristina
• Nebojša Radunović, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Belgrade's School of Medicine and a corresponding member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
• Marko Savić, pianist and professor at the University of Pristina Faculty of Arts
• Anđelko Karaferić, musician, Professor of Counterpoint and Associate Dean at the University of Pristina Faculty of Arts
• Andrijana Videnović, actress and associate professor of Diction at the University of Pristina Faculty of Arts
• Jasmina Novokmet, conductor, professor and former Associate Dean at the University of Pristina
• Aleksandra Trajković, pianist, assistant professor of Piano and Chief of the Piano Department at the University of Pristina
• Tomislav Trifić, graphic artist and Dean of the University of Pristina Faculty of Arts
• Branibor Debeljković, artist, historian and professor
• Slađana Đurić, professor of philosophy and sociology

• Svetomir Arsić-Basara, sculptor
• Branibor Debeljković, photographer
• Aleksandar Joksimović, fashion designer
• Trajko Stojanović Kosovac, graphic artist, painter, scenographer
• Slobodan Trajković, painter

• Ljuba Tadić, Dobričin prsten and four-time Golden Arena for Best Actor winner
• Mira Stupica, Dobričin prsten and Golden Arena for Best Actress winner
• Dragoslav Ilić
• Dragan Maksimović
• Miodrag Krivokapić
• Saša Pantić
• Milan Vasić
• Predrag Vasić

• Jordan Nikolić, folk singer who interpreted traditional songs from Kosovo^[160]
• Milica Milisavljević Dugalić, performer of traditional songs from Kosovo
• Bora Spužić Kvaka, folk singer
• Dragica Radosavljević Cakana, folk singer
• Viktorija, rock artist who represented Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 as part of Aska
• Đani, folk singer
• Jana, folk singer
• Tina Ivanović, folk singer
• Slađa Delibašić, pop singer and dancer
• Peđa Medenica, pop-folk singer
• Stefan Đurić Rasta, popular musician
• Nevena Božović, pop singer who represented Serbia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007, with band Moje 3 in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 and solo in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019

• Milutin Šoškić, football player and Olympic champion
• Vladimir Durković, football player and Olympic champion
• Stevan Stojanović, football goalkeeper and European Cup champion
• Goran Đorović, football player
• Ranko Popović, football player and coach
• Mladen Dodić, football player and coach
• Dragoljub Bekvalac, football player and coach
• Darko Spalević, football player
• Nenad Stojković, football player
• Nikola Lazetić, football player
• Miloš Krasić, football player and 2009 Serbian Footballer of the Year
• Milan Biševac, football player
• Miodrag Anđelković, football player
• Aleksandar Čanović, football player
• Miroslav Vulićević, football player
• Miloš Ostojić, football player
• Milan Milanović, football player
• Aleksandar Paločević, football player
• Đorđe Jovanović, football player
• Sreten Mirković, boxer and European Amateur Championships silver medalist
• Marko Simonović, basketball player, Olympic and World Cup silver medalist
• Miloš Bojović, basketball player
• Miljana Bojović, basketball player
• Bojan Krstović, basketball player
• Dejan Musli, basketball player
• Milena Rašić, volleyball player, World and European champion, Olympic silver medalist
• Vaso Komnenić, high jumper
• Darko Radomirović, middle distance and long-distance runner
• Sonja Stolić, middle distance and long-distance runner
• Novak Djokovic, tennis player, World No.1 and 17-time Grand Slam champion^[162]
• Danijela Rundqvist, Swedish ice hockey player and two-time Olympic medalist^[163]
• Luka Dončić, Slovenian basketball player, European and EuroLeague champion

• Sima Igumanov, merchant who made a fortune through tobacco trade and invested his fortune in building educational facilities
• Bogdan Radenković, an organizer of the Serbian Chetnik Organization and one of the founders of the Black Hand
• Đorđe Martinović, farmer from who was at the centre of a notorious incident in May 1985
• Zvezdan Jovanović, former paramilitary, JSO Commander and convicted criminal
• Anđelka Tomašević, Miss Earth Serbia 2013 and Miss Universe Serbia 2014
• Katarina Šulkić, Miss Serbia 2015

• Community of Serb Municipalities
• Serbian enclaves in Kosovo
• Enclave (film), a 2015 Serbian film
• Gorani people
• Janjevci

• Filling the Vacuum: Ensuring Protection and Legal Remedies for Minorities in Kosovo by Minority Rights Group International (May 2009)
• Groups working with all demographics in Kosovo