OPPOSITION policymakers in Kosovo have repeatedly used tear gas to block work in parliament as they pressure the government to renounce deals with Serbia and Montenegro.
The session was initially suspended for about 50 minutes after a tear gas canister was launched from opposition seats. The session resumed, but was suspended again an hour later for the same reason.
After the use of the tear gas for a third time, speaker Kadri Veseli, wearing a gas mask, could not keep his governing MPs from leaving the hall due to the gas.
Then police forcefully removed all opposition members. One of them, Albulena Haxhiu, fainted while trying to re-enter and clashed with police guarding the main entrance.
Mr Veseli said the session will resume after the problems, which occurred despite security checks at the entrance at the beginning of the day.
Outside parliament a few hundred opposition supporters gathered shouting anti-government slogans.
Opposition MPs are determined not to allow normal operations at parliament, demanding the government’s resignation and fresh elections.
Since September, the opposition has disrupted parliament with tear gas, pepper spray, whistles and water bottles. They reject a deal between Kosovo and Serbia, reached last year, which gives more powers to ethnic Serbs in Kosovo. They are also against a border demarcation deal with Montenegro.
In December, the Constitutional Court decided that part of the deal with Serbia was not in line with the constitution.
Deputy prime minister and foreign minister Hashim Thaci, of the governing Democratic Party of Kosovo, said the government is determined to continue its daily agenda, and condemned the use of tear gas as “ugly”.
“Opposition reaction may continue but they should get used to the idea that they cannot come to power by violence,” Mr Thaci said.
Kosovo’s Western backers have denounced the violence, calling on the opposition to resolve the political crisis in parliament.
Kosovo’s 2008 independence has been recognised by 111 countries, including the US and major European Union nations, but it is rejected by Serbia, with support from Russia, which has blocked Kosovo from becoming a UN member.
Kosovo and Serbia are holding EU-mediated talks to try to overcome their differences. ends
Police said they detained three opposition MPs and three other people for illegal possession of tear gas canisters.
The session resumed successfully at the fourth attempt, but without the opposition members who denounced the decision to expel them as illegal
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here