The first session of the regular spring session of the Serbian Parliament concluded on Tuesday around 6 p.m. following a series of violent incidents. After the approval of the agenda, opposition lawmakers began activating smoke bombs, accusing the government of lacking the legitimacy to pass laws after Prime Minister Miloš Vučević’s resignation, reports VOA.
Three female lawmakers were injured, with several physical confrontations between government and opposition representatives. Pepper spray was also used, and the area around the speaker’s table was filled with powder from a fire extinguisher.
Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabić, refusing to suspend the session despite the thick smoke, repeatedly called the opposition a “terrorist gang” and stated that “Serbia will never stop,” announcing the continuation of the session on Wednesday.
The incidents started after the ruling majority approved the agenda, which included dozens of legislative proposals. Among them was a point to acknowledge the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, who resigned on January 28 under pressure from student protests.
Opposition lawmakers argued that only amendments to the Law on Higher Education should be on the agenda, claiming that a government that had announced its resignation could not pass numerous important laws.
“This government has fallen, it has been acknowledged. We warn you not to bring ministers who don’t exist. They have no right to propose laws,” said SSP MP Marinika Tepić before the incidents occurred, adding that the government lacked both legal and political legitimacy.
Following the agenda’s approval, opposition MPs moved toward the speaker’s table, igniting red and black smoke bombs and unfurling a banner reading, “Serbia rises, so the regime falls.”
At one point, a brawl broke out between opposition and government MPs, which was quickly stopped by security personnel. MPs also threw bottles and eggs.
Speaker Ana Brnabić announced that MP Jasmina Obradović from the “Aleksandar Vučić – Serbia Must Not Stop” group suffered a stroke and was in critical condition, blaming the opposition for her injury. “She is fighting for her life because of you, you are inhuman,” Brnabić said, urging the parliament to continue its work.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić shared a photo on Instagram from a visit to the injured MP Jasmina Obradović in the hospital, expressing his belief in her recovery and in Serbia’s strength.
Brnabić also mentioned that MP Sonja Ilić, who is eight months pregnant, was among the injured.
MP Stefan Krkobabić of PUPS reported that MP Jasmina Karanac was hit in the head during the session. According to RTS, Karanac was sprayed with pepper spray and hit with a bottle.
The parliament session was further disrupted by the arrival of dozens of plainclothes police officers, security personnel, ambulances, and firefighters.
Disruptions also occurred at the Socialist Party of Serbia’s (SPS) seats when MP Dušan Bajatović tried to speak but was interrupted by MP Bogdan Radovanović from the Green-Left Front.
SNS group leader Milenko Jovanov accused the opposition of attempting to “incite a civil war in Serbia” and claimed their efforts would fail. He argued that the agenda included a law fulfilling one of the students’ demands, and the opposition chose to turn the parliament into a “battlefield.”
In the continuation of the session, government coalition MPs spoke while opposition MPs made noise with whistles and vuvuzelas. The opposition displayed banners with symbols of protests, including bloodied fists and messages like “Corruption kills” and “General strike.”
Some opposition MPs activated a fire extinguisher, directing its spray at government MPs, while others threw eggs.
Opposition leaders, such as Miroslav Aleksić from the National Movement of Serbia, blamed Speaker Brnabić for the incidents and accused the government of fostering chaos across society.
The Serbian Public Prosecutor’s Office condemned the incidents in parliament, reminding MPs that parliamentary immunity does not protect them from criminal prosecution for actions that threaten the safety, health, or lives of others. They called for the situation to be “immediately calmed.”
Today’s chaos in the Serbian Parliament reflects the intense political divide, with opposition leaders facing mounting pressure from the public to take action. While some experts believe the opposition’s approach may have played into the government’s narrative, others emphasize the need for more strategic opposition moves to avoid fueling further division.
The clash highlights the ongoing political tension in Serbia, exacerbated by student protests and a deepening divide between the ruling government and opposition factions.
