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Kosovo opposition's tear gas disrupts parliament work

Smoke covers the chamber of parliament as opposition lawmakers in Kosovo disrupt Parliament's session using tear gas, in capital Pristina on Friday

Florent Bajmari (The Jakarta Post)
Pristina, Kosovo
Sat, October 24, 2015

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Kosovo opposition's tear gas disrupts parliament work Smoke covers the chamber of parliament as opposition lawmakers in Kosovo disrupt Parliament's session using tear gas, in capital Pristina on Friday. (AP/Visar Kryeziu) (AP/Visar Kryeziu)

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span class="inline inline-center">Smoke covers the chamber of parliament as opposition lawmakers in Kosovo disrupt Parliament's session using tear gas, in capital Pristina on Friday. (AP/Visar Kryeziu)

Kosovo's Parliament on Friday suspended its session for the second time in a day when opposition lawmakers protesting the government's agreements with Serbia and Montenegro threw tear gas canisters in the chamber.

The session was suspended for more than six hours after tear gas canisters were thrown, then resumed briefly until another canister was thrown from opposition lawmakers at the chamber following harsh debates.

Opposition lawmakers also hurled plastic water bottles at the Speaker and Cabinet ministers.

Police said no lawmaker was injured or arrested.

Security guards were forced to enter the chamber to prevent a physical clash among the lawmakers too.

Outside the building, a few hundred opposition supporters clashed with protesters throwing Molotov cocktails. Police responded with tear gas and dispersed the crowd.

Associated Press journalists saw opposition lawmaker Donika Kadaj-Bujupi open a tear gas canister in the chamber, forcing Speaker Kadri Veseli postpone the session opening for one hour.

"The session will not continue. We will use anything necessary to stop this session," said Glauk Konjufca of the opposition Self-Determination Party.

Before the session, the opposition threw tear gas at Veseli's offices, forcing the evacuation of parliamentary staff. No injuries were reported and no one was arrested.

The opposition had demanded cancellation of Friday's session unless the government backtracked from deals with Serbia to give more powers to Serb-dominated areas in Kosovo, and with Montenegro on border demarcation.

"The opposition had no other way out than using unusual tools to stop this session," the Alliance for Kosovo's Future party, part of the opposition group, said in a statement.

Konjufca told reporters that if police used force inside the chamber "the situation will escalate outside the institutions as well."

This was the third session in which the opposition smuggled in tear gas despite tight police checks of everyone entering the building, including diplomats.

In two other sessions the opposition blew whistles to prevent debate, and on another occasion eggs were thrown at the prime minister.

Earlier this week, President Atifete Jahjaga failed to persuade the political parties to negotiate to resolve the crisis.

"It is not possible to sit down together because they have shown their real face, that they sell the state interests and defend their properties. Debating with them is over," said Konjufca.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a move not recognized by Serbia. (kes)

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Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania, contributed to this report.

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