Slaviša Ristić (; born 17 November 1961) is a Serbian politician and a prominent figure in the Kosovo Serb community. He was for many years the president (i.e., mayor) of Zubin Potok, a predominantly Serb municipality in northern Kosovo, and has served two terms in the National Assembly of Serbia.
A member of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) many years, Ristić left the party in late 2016 and has been the leader of the Otadžbina (English: "Fatherland") political movement since 2018. He is a vocal critic of Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić and the governing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
Private career Ristić was born in Zubin Potok, in what was then the Autonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija in the People's Republic of Serbia, Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. He has a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Priština.12. СКУПШТИНА ДСС – ПРЕДСТАВЉАЊЕ КАНДИДАТА ЗА ПРЕДСЕДНИКА ДСС И ЊИХОВИХ ТИМОВА (2014), Democratic Party of Serbia, accessed 13 June 2018.
Politician Ristić joined the opposition Democratic Party (DS) on its formation in 1990. After a split two years later, he became a founding member of the DSS. In the 1990s, he was one of the few leading Kosovo Serb politicians to oppose the policies of Slobodan Milošević's government.Dejan Anastasljavić, "Kriminalci vladaju severom Kosova", Vreme, 27 April 2017, accessed 13 June 2018.
He became the president of Zubin Potok's executive council (i.e., the leader of its local government) after the December 1992 local elections and served in this role from 1993 to 1996.Председништво, , Democratic Party of Serbia, 14 August 2016, accessed 11 January 2022. Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) won the 1996 local elections in Zubin Potok, and his term in office came to an end.Izbori Za Odbornike Skupština Opština i Gradova u Republici Srbiji, 1996, Bureau of Statistics – Republic of Serbia, p. 92.
Following the 1998–99 Kosovo War, Ristić chaired the municipal committee of the Serbian National Council in Zubin Potok."Serb girl reported saved from Albanian kidnap attempt," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European - Political, 2 May 2000 (Source: SRNA news agency, Bijeljina, in Serbo-Croat 1118 gmt 2 May 00). He attended talks in Washington, D.C., as a representative of the council in July 2000; the talks did not deal with the status of Kosovo but rather with ending the ongoing violence between Serb and Albanian communities and creating the conditions for the development of democratic institutions in the region."Group names Kosovo Serbs, Albanians participating in Washington conference," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European - Political, 19 July 2000 (Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1334 gmt 18 Jul 00)."Kosovo Serbs and Albanians sign declaration to end violence - agency," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European - Political, 26 July 2000 (Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1418 gmt 25 Jul 00). He strongly opposed the introduction of customs checkpoints on Kosovo's border with Central Serbia in 2001."Kosovo Serbs deny rumours of imminent agreement on customs," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European - Political, 2 May 2001 (Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1520 gmt 2 May 01).
Mayor of Zubin Potok Serbs in northern Kosovo generally boycotted the 2000 local elections in Kosovo, which were overseen by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The results in Zubin Potok and two neighbouring Serb municipalities were not certified due to low turnout. Following the vote, UNMIK leader Bernard Kouchner said that he would appoint prominent members of the Serb community as councillors in these areas."Violence and Serb anger overshadow Kosovo poll result," Agence France-Presse, 6 November 2000. As an extension of this process, Ristić became mayor of Zubin Potok in 2001.Председништво, , Democratic Party of Serbia, 14 August 2016, accessed 11 January 2022. The Serb community later participated in 2002 local elections overseen by UNMIK and the OECD; the DSS won a significant victory in Zubin Potok, and Ristić was confirmed afterward for another term as mayor.ZGJEDHJET PËR KUVENDE KOMUNALE 2002 – Fletëvotimet dhe listat e kandidatëve (Zubin Potok), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 24 January 2022. Interestingly, Ristić appeared in the fourth rather than the lead position on the DSS's electoral list.ZGJEDHJET PËR KUVENDE KOMUNALE 2002 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e subjekteve sipas komunave), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 24 January 2022.
In January 2006, the Serbian government appointed coordinators for most municipalities in Kosovo. Ristić was appointed as coordinator for Zubin Potok.112. sednica Vlade Republike Srbije, 12. januar 2006. godine, Otvorena Vlada, accessed 12 March 2024. This position was generally equivalent to mayor, though as recognized by the Republic of Serbia rather than by UNMIK.
Ristić, like most Kosovo Serb leaders, strongly opposes the secession of Kosovo from Serbia and the establishment of an independent state of Kosovo. In 2006, he was quoted as saying, "No one will force us to accept Priština's authority, which is hostile to Serb people. Serbs do not want a partition [of Kosovo], but if it comes to that, it will be the fault of the international community for succumbing to an ultimatum of independence by (Kosovo) Albanians."Nebojsa Markovic, "U.N. mediator meets with Serb leaders in tense northern Kosovo," Associated Press Newswires, 29 March 2006. During subsequent discussions between Serbs and Albanians in the province meditated by the United Nations, he said, "We want co-operation with the Albanian community but we cannot cooperate with the Kosovo government which is working purely for independence."Shaban Buza, "U.N. envoy finds Kosovo breakthrough still elusive," Reuters News, 24 August 2006.
In 2007, he remarked that a visit by United States president George W. Bush to Kosovo could only be interpreted as providing support for independence. He was quoted as saying, "The message that he would be sending by his visit would come as nothing new to us Serbs in Kosmet [Kosovo and Metohija], because the United States has already openly stated its position on Kosmet's status, which is support for independence. [...] I do not think that Bush's visit would provoke any particular reaction from the Serb community, because we have become used to this kind of behaviour from the United States.""Serbian negotiators doubt Bush to show bias by visiting Kosovo - daily," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 19 May 2007 (Source: Glas javnosti, Belgrade, in Serbian 17 May 07). Later in the year, Ristić was a delegate of the Kosovo Serb community in discussions with representatives of the Contact Group."Kosovo Serb leader question legitimacy of Serb delegation meeting with troika," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 13 August 2007 (Source: Kontakt Plus, Kosovska Mitrovica, in Serbian 1400gmt 13 Aug 07).
The Serb community in Kosovo's northern municipalities generally boycotted the 2007 local elections overseen by Priština. In Zubin Potok, representatives of Albanian parties won the election on the basis of an extremely low turnout; due to the Serb boycott, the results were not recognized.The community also boycotted a further round of local elections overseen by Priština in 2009. Ristić did not consider the elections legitimate and was not a participant. When the Republic of Kosovo issued its unilateral declaration of independence in February 2008, he said that Zubin Potok would not engage with the Priština government. "We cannot allow the institutions of a nonexistent state to be imposed on us and to pay taxes to some independent Kosovo," he said. "That is impossible."Dusan Stojanovic, "Kosovo Serbs set border checkpoints on fire to protest Kosovo independence," Associated Press Newswires, 19 February 2008.
Riots broke out at two United Nations border crossings near Zubin Potok after the declaration of independence, resulting in the destruction of checkpoints on the roads into Central Serbia. Ristić said that the riots had been prompted by the Priština government's announcement that it would send its officials to monitor the border. He added that his municipal forces had acted to prevent the violence from escalating (remarking that no-one was injured), drew attention to the anger of Serbs over the declaration of independence, and urged international authorities not to support "the false state of Kosovo in its attempts to set up its authorities in the territory of our municipalities.""Kosovo Serb mayor explains protests at border crossings," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 19 February 2008 (Source: Kontakt Plus radio, Kosovska Mitrovica, in Serbian 1500 gmt 19 Feb 08).
The Serbian government controversially oversaw its own its own local elections in Kosovo in May 2008. The DSS won a majority victory in Zubin Potok and Ristić continued to serve as mayor.Информације о одржаним седницама 2008. године – 15. мај 2008. године, , Republic Election Commission, Republic of Serbia, accessed 26 April 2017. Later in 2008, Ristić led a protest against both the deployment of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and an effort to re-introduce cameras to the border crossings; he described the latter development as "the first step in re-establishing the customs zone.""Kosovo Serbs to protest against customs checkpoint, EU mission," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 25 August 2008 (Source: Politika website, Belgrade, in Serbian 24 Aug 08). He later became reconciled to the presence of EULEX (following changes to the terms of its mission), although he suspended Zubin Potok's co-operation with the agency in July 2011, charging that it had become "a force of occupation.""Two Kosovo Serb municipalities sever cooperation with EU mission," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 14 July 2011 (Source: Politika website, Belgrade, in Serbian 12 Jul 11).
North Kosovo crisis