Chaos erupts in Serbian parliament as opposition MPs set off flares

File Source: EuroNews

Serbia’s spring parliamentary session descended intochaos on Tuesday as opposition MPs disrupted the proceedings by setting off flares and smoke grenades, halting the session and leading to a brawl among lawmakers.

The violent outburst forced security to intervene to prevent further physical confrontations, and the Speaker of Parliament, Ana Brnabić, had to call for calm, urging MPs to return to their benches and continue their work.

The incident occurred after members of the ruling coalition introduced a set of laws aimed at granting concessions to students and youth, followed by the planned acceptance of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević’s resignation, which would effectively end his cabinet’s tenure. Opposition MPs vehemently opposed the agenda, arguing that it was nonsensical to pass legislation from a government that was no longer functional. This led to a brief altercation, during which Brnabić was doused with water.

In the aftermath, Brnabić accused the opposition of causing serious harm, claiming that one MP, Jasmina Obradović, had suffered a stroke due to the disruption and was in critical condition. “The woman is fighting for her life after you threw a flashbang at her,” Brnabić charged, also revealing that another opposition MP, who is eight months pregnant, had been shocked by the events.

The chaos was further compounded by the use of vuvuzela horns by opposition MPs, a tactic borrowed from football fans to drown out proceedings. The unrest was fueled by ongoing discontent over the resignation of Prime Minister Vučević in January, following months of student-led protests triggered by the deadly collapse of a train station awning in Novi Sad that killed 15 people.

Vučević’s resignation came as part of an effort to quell public anger, with the former prime minister emphasizing the need for the government to demonstrate “the highest level of responsibility” in a public address. “In order to not raise tensions in the society any further, I made the decision I just announced,” Vučević said at the time.

Both Vučević and Brnabić belong to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of President Aleksandar Vučić, who has promised an “urgent and extensive reconstruction of the government” in response to the demands of the protesters.

The turmoil in parliament continued to spill into the streets, as protesters gathered outside the Serbian Parliament and blocked one of Belgrade’s main avenues, demonstrating the deep divisions and unrest that continue to shake the country’s political landscape.