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KOSOVO’S OPPOSITION DISRUPTED parliament with tear gas for a second week running today.
It’s part of an ongoing protest at agreements made with Serbia.
Despite tight security at the entrance to prevent a repeat of last week’s chaotic scenes, tear gas was smuggled into the chamber and released before proceedings began.
Before the gas was released, protesting MPs had gathered around the podium to prevent any debate.
“The opposition has enough gas to block any session,” Glauk Konjufca of the Self-Determination party, which is leading the protesting opposition bloc, told reporters outside parliament.
The dissenters are angry at EU-brokered agreements with Serbia – particularly a plan to give greater autonomy to Kosovo’s Serb minority.
Kosovo, whose population is predominantly ethnic Albanian, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. However Serbia rejected the move and still considers the breakaway territory as its southern province.
About 100 protesters gathered outside and cheered as MPs left the building after the parliament’s president was forced to call off the session.
Here’s some footage of the original protest, last week:
The clouds of gas from last week’s protest caused two MPs to faint and the US embassy in Kosovo said some of its personnel who were in the chamber at the time had to seek medical treatment.
Opposition MPs have also blown whistles and thrown eggs to disrupt recent parliamentary sessions.
- © AFP, 2015 with reporting from Daragh Brophy.
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