Chaos at Serbian Parliament: Deadly Building Collapse Sparks Violent Brawl

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ICARO Media Group
Politics
25/11/2024 21h25

### Brawl Erupts in Serbian Parliament Over Deadly Building Collapse

A violent confrontation unfolded in Serbia's parliament Monday, culminating in a chaotic brawl between government ministers and opposition MPs. The clash began when Prime Minister Miloš Vučević attempted to present the national budget for 2025, but was interrupted by opposition members protesting a recent fatal building collapse.

The altercation broke out on the floor of the Serbian National Assembly chamber. Opposition MPs, armed with whistles and horns to disrupt Vučević's speech, displayed signs reading "your hands are bloody." This act was aimed at highlighting the government's alleged responsibility for the collapse of a railway station roof in Novi Sad earlier in the month, which resulted in 15 fatalities.

The disaster in Novi Sad has led to significant political ramifications: two ministers have resigned, and a dozen individuals have been arrested amid accusations of corruption and lack of transparency in infrastructure projects. This was the backdrop for the heated parliamentary session that quickly descended into chaos.

Radomir Lazović, a member of the Green-Left Front opposition party, claims the fracas began when he approached government ministers with a sticker showing a bloody handprint. According to Lazović, Health Minister Zlatibor Lončar reacted by "attacking" him, igniting a "general fight" among the MPs.

"We tried to calm down the situation, but they attacked us all the time, the police and ruling Serbian Progressive Party [SNS] together," Lazović stated. Video footage captured by local media reveals scenes of shouting, shoving, slapping, and even water being thrown as parliamentary security officers struggled to restore order. Lazović reported that several MPs sustained injuries in the commotion.

The Speaker of Parliament, Ana Brnabić, faced significant challenges in her efforts to restore calm, eventually calling for all MPs to return to their seats and condemning the incident as "a shame for this house" before cutting the parliamentary broadcast's audio.

The brawl underscores the intense public anger over the train station disaster in Serbia. Thousands of demonstrators, some with hands painted red, have taken to the streets demanding accountability and frequently clashing with police. President Aleksandar Vučić has labeled the protesters as "thugs" but has also pledged to bring those responsible for the collapse to justice.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

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