Serbia: What next after Tuesday's parliamentary chaos?

Tuesday's session of the National Assembly, Serbia's parliament, was like no other: Clouds of black and red smoke filled the air and a black banner that read "Serbia has risen to bring down the regime" was held up for all to see.

Opposition lawmakers set off smoke bombs, filling the chamber with thick, acrid smoke. Tensions escalated into physical confrontations, with parliamentarians hurling bottles and eggs at one another.

"Serbia is suffering institutional violence imposed by the SNS," Radomir Lazovic of the Green-Left Front told DW.

It was Lazovic's parliamentary group that activated the smoke bombs. Lazovic himself at one point even deployed a fire extinguisher, covering parliamentarians in white powder.

"We have shown resistance in the parliament and we will show resistance wherever we can: on the streets, at blockades, during protests, in legal processes," he added.

Opposition rejects government attempts to plough on

The turmoil began after the ruling majority rejected the opposition's proposal to amend the agenda.

Opposition lawmakers then reminded the ruling majority that Prime Minister Milos Vucevic had resigned over a month ago and argued that the only items on the agenda should be the adoption of amendments to the Education Law, which meets one of the protesting students' demands, and the adoption of the government's resignation.

Instead, the ruling coalition pushed through an agenda that included dozens of new proposed legal amendments.

Speaker remains defiant

Despite the thick smoke, Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabic of the ruling SNS refused to end the session and, struggling to breathe through the smoke, attempted to continue the discussion.

Throughout the debate, opposition lawmakers chanted and tried to disrupt proceedings with whistles and vuvuzelas.

"You'll have to kill us to stop us working," Brnabic told the opposition from the speaker's chair, calling them "bullies," "haters" and a "terrorist gang."

Lawmakers injured in the chaos

Three members of the ruling coalition were injured in the chaos, including — according to Brnabic — Jasmina Obradovic, who suffered a stroke and is in life-threatening condition, and Sonja Ilic, who is eight months pregnant.

"If anything happens to Jasmina Obradovic, you've started something never seen before in Serbia. Shame on you, you are a terrorist gang, not political parties," Brnabic declared.

The Prosecutor's Office announced that it has launched an investigation to establish who brought pyrotechnic devices into the chamber and used them. The Green-Left Front has openly admitted that its members were responsible.

"We regret that anyone was injured. Our MP, Professor Djordje Pavicevic, was also hit in the head and we have been repeatedly beaten by the police and ruling party MPs. We are ready to take responsibility for everything we've done, because sometimes, in the fight, you must resort to actions that you wouldn't normally take," Lazovic told DW.

Unprecedented scenes

The Serbian parliament has witnessed numerous incidents in the past — from water being thrown to microphones being torn out — but the use of smoke bombs is unprecedented in the past 25 years, says journalist Mira Nikolic, who has covered the assembly for many years.

She expressed doubt that Tuesday's parliamentary protest would be effective but believes that the greatest responsibility lies with Speaker Ana Brnabic.

"The only person responsible for how the Assembly functions is the speaker," Nikolic told DW. "Ana Brnabic's task, which she performs excellently, is to destroy the parliament. It has been destroyed to its core, and once this is over, we will literally have to relearn how to walk from scratch."

'A kind of creeping coup d'etat'

Political scientist Cvijetin Milivojevic recalls that the previous session unfolded in a similar atmosphere, with Brnabic attempting to press on and ultimately concluding a joint, general discussion on all items on the agenda, which was also a parliamentary precedent.

"Since that day, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has been in a kind of creeping coup d'etat, carried out by the speaker, effectively nullifying the powers, will, duties and rights of the other 249 members of parliament," Milivojevic told DW.

Although he says he would have expected "more wisdom" from the opposition, Milivojevic agrees with its demand that the Assembly must first acknowledge the prime minister's resignation before moving on to other business.

"It is their duty according to the Constitution and the law. Instead, this is yet another example of a classic coup d'etat," said Milivojevic. "Today, a multitude of legislative proposals appeared, even though a resigned government cannot propose laws — it is working in a technical [caretaker] capacity ."

Students opposed to violence

Although demonstrators gathered outside the parliament building and threw eggs at the main entrance during the session, there was no large-scale rally. Nor did students take part. For months now, students have led protests across Serbia, demanding accountability for the deaths of 15 people killed when the canopy at the entrance to Novi Sad railway station collapsed last November.

Students have also kept their distance from other episodes where citizens in local communities opted for radicalization.

On social media, some citizens enthusiastically welcomed the opposition's actions in parliament on Tuesday and incidents where local officials have been pelted with eggs.

 Others, however, remain adamant that violence is not the solution.

Did the chaos play into the government's hands?

Milivojevic believes that the "performance" in parliament on Tuesday benefited the authorities.

"Whether intentionally or not, the opposition fell for the bait that the current government has been using for a long time," he said, adding that he does not believe most opposition supporters condone what happened.

The Green-Left Front maintains that everything it is doing is aimed at supporting the students' fight. "To all those who think there is a better way to organize resistance to the SNS, I invite them to show us on March 7, during the general strike," said Lazovic.

After Friday's general strike, the next big protest in Belgrade is scheduled for March 15, which many feel could turn out to be a pivotal day. Are these expectations realistic?

"It is the government that is intensifying the pace. The date no longer matters. What matters is that the energy of dissatisfaction continues to accumulate," said Milivojevic. "I don't think it's terrible to lose even a year of life, as long as things finally return to their rightful place and it is clear on what a state is based — rights and justice for all citizens."

Edited by: Aingeal Flanagan