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Chaos in Serbian Parliament as opposition leaders release tear gas | Watch
The spring session of the Serbian parliament commenced on Tuesday to review the legislative agenda
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In a strong show of defiance, opposition leaders in Serbia triggered chaos in the country's parliament on Tuesday as they fired tear gas into the house.
Several videos showed the opposition members holding colourful flares and throwing what appeared to be smoke canisters on the assembly premises.
Multiple MPs were injured during the protest, speaker Ana Brnabic said. Serbia's Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said that one lawmaker was taken to an intensive care unit after suffering a stroke.
The spring session of the Serbian parliament commenced on Tuesday to review the legislative agenda.
The opposition's protest comes at a time when Serbia has been rocked for months by student-led anti-corruption protests following the fatal collapse of a train station roof last year that killed 15 people.
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The movement has put increasing pressure on the Serbian government and President Aleksandar Vucic, spurring the resignation of several high-ranking officials, including the prime minister in January.
Today's session was the first since Prime Minister Milos Vucevic stepped down, where they were set to formalise his resignation.
Speaker Ana Brnabic lambasts opposition
A live video feed showed parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabic lambasting the opposition's protest and the alleged use of "tear gas" in the assembly.
"Your colour revolution has failed, and this country will live, this country will work and this country will continue to win," she told them.
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"Do you defend students' demands like this?" said Brnabic during the session.
In chaotic scenes, the speaker said plans would go ahead to vote on the legislation, after opposition members launched their protest and threw eggs and water at members of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party.
Serbian parliament session
The Spring session of the Serbian parliament commenced on Tuesday, the first since PM Vucevic stepped down.
The parliament was also set to debate a new higher education bill that would slash tuition fees for university students -- a demand of the protesters.
(with AFP inputs)
