Serbia Smoke bombs during riot in Serbian parliament
Against the backdrop of the political crisis in Serbia, serious riots and violence broke out in the Balkan country's parliament.
04.03.2025, 16:34
SDA
Opposition MPs fired flares, smoke bombs and stun grenades to prevent the parliament, which they believe has become illegitimate, from working. A 64-year-old member of parliament from the ruling SNS party had suffered a stroke and was being treated in intensive care, according to Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar.
According to parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabic, another MP from the government camp was injured in the head by an object. Opposition MPs disrupted the session for hours with the noise of horns, vuvuzelas and whistles. Riots are not uncommon in the Serbian parliament, but Tuesday's incident was a clear escalation.
Serious political crisis since station canopy collapsed
Serbia is currently experiencing a serious political crisis. Following the collapse of the station canopy in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad at the end of last year, which left 15 people dead, a student-led protest movement emerged that has since spread to large sections of Serbian society. The protesters are demanding a complete investigation into the causes of the accident and the prosecution of those responsible.
They attribute the tragedy to corruption, which they see as being covered up by the political leadership and used to enrich themselves. In Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic makes all important decisions himself. He has ruled the country in various capacities since 2012. The Serbian opposition parties fully support the students' demands.
