Belgrade, 4 March 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Serbian opposition lawmakers set off flares, smoke bombs and stun grenades in parliament on Tuesday to prevent a parliamentary session, amid the country's ongoing political crisis.

Opposition politicians also disrupted the session for hours with vuvuzelas, whistles and horns.

A 64-year-old member of parliament for the ruling Progressive Party (SNS) suffered a stroke in the chaos and is being treated in intensive care, Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar announced.

President of the National Assembly Ana Brnabić said another member of parliament from the government camp suffered a head injury.

Unrest is not uncommon in the Serbian parliament, but Tuesday's incident was a significant escalation.

Serbia is in the midst of a political crisis following the collapse of a railway station canopy in the northern city of Novi Sad in November, which killed 15 people.

Student protests following the incident have since spread to large sections of Serbian society, with protesters demanding a full investigation into the causes of the disaster and the prosecution of those found guilty.

They blame the tragedy on corruption, which they believe is covered up by the political leadership and used to its benefit.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has ruled the country in various capacities since 2012 and makes all important decisions himself.

The Serbian opposition parties fully support the protesters' demands and consider the current parliament to be illegitimate.

Photo: MIA archive