Serbia’s parliamentary session in Belgrade descended into chaos on Tuesday as opposition MPs set off flares and smoke grenades, following a brief physical altercation that resulted in injuries.
The session was temporarily interrupted, and Speaker of Parliament Ana Brnabić urged MPs to return to their seats and continue their work.
The incident unfolded during Serbia’s first spring parliamentary session, as opposition lawmakers disrupted an increasingly heated debate by setting off the flares and smoke grenades. Security stepped in to prevent a larger physical confrontation after some MPs became involved in a brawl.
Before the commotion, the ruling coalition had proposed a series of laws aimed at granting concessions to students and youth. They planned to address these measures before acknowledging the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, which would lead to the collapse of his cabinet. Opposition MPs fiercely opposed the agenda, arguing that it was illogical to adopt laws from a government whose prime minister had already resigned. This disagreement sparked a brief fight, during which Speaker Brnabić was drenched in water. The opposition also used plastic vuvuzela horns to further disrupt the session.
Vučević resigned in late January following months of student protests triggered by a deadly train station awning collapse in Novi Sad, which killed 15 people. In his resignation speech, Vučević said, “The government has to show … the highest level of responsibility,” and explained that he stepped down to avoid escalating tensions in society.
Both Vučević and Brnabić are members of the ruling SNS party of President Aleksandar Vučić, who has promised “an urgent and extensive reconstruction of the government” in response to the demands of the protesters. After the parliamentary incident, demonstrators gathered outside the building and blocked one of Belgrade’s main avenues in protest.
