Scuffles erupted in Serbia's parliament on Monday as tensions flared between ruling party and opposition lawmakers over a recent deadly rail station roof collapse.
The incident, which occurred on Nov. 1 in Novi Sad, resulted in 15 fatalities.
Officials have offered conflicting information about whether a concrete canopy was part of a renovation, and its maintenance is under scrutiny.
The opposition sought to address the tragedy during the parliamentary session, pressing for discussions on responsibility for the collapse.
In contrast, the governing officials, holding a majority in the legislature, aimed to proceed with the adoption of the state budget for the upcoming year.
Banners and Slogans Intensify Tensions
The discord escalated when opposition members displayed a banner bearing a red handprint with the message "blood is on your hands," prompting ruling party members to counter with a banner accusing the opposition of desiring "war while Serbia wants to work."
The confrontation intensified as both sides attempted to seize each other's banners, leading to physical altercations.
The Novi Sad rail station, a significant transportation hub, had recently undergone renovations as part of a partnership between Serbia and China.
Originally built in 1964, Novi Sad was renovated twice in recent years as part of a wider agreement that is part of billions of dollars in investments.
Critics allege that substandard construction practices and possible corruption contributed to the collapse. The tragedy has become a focal point for broader dissatisfaction with Serbia's current administration, with increasing public demands for transparency in large-scale infrastructure projects, many of which involve Chinese state companies.
In response to the parliamentary unrest, Speaker Ana Brnabić accused the opposition of attempting to seize power through disorder, suggesting external influences were at play.
"There is not a hint, not a grain of doubt, that these are people who are well organized, who were trained quite well, I believe paid well, to create chaos in Serbia and destabilize our country," Brnabić stated.
Serbian Police Detain Roof Protesters
Authoritarian President Aleksandar Vučić also condemned the opposition's actions, labeling them as "daily bullying" and "savage behavior."
He assured citizens that such conduct would not be tolerated and emphasized the government's commitment to progress.
"I want to reassure the citizens and tell them that we will respond to their rudeness, rudeness and arrogance with even more work in the future," Vučić said.
"Today they tried to prevent pensioners from receiving their increased pensions, public sector employees from their increased salaries. They won't succeed."
At the same time, police have been detaining activists who took part in recent protests and warned that they would not tolerate any disruptions of public order, which is widely seen as an attempt to discourage people from protesting.
China Denies Involvement in Roof Construction
Opposition leader Dragan Đilas criticized the parliamentary leadership for obstructing debate on the government's accountability regarding the Novi Sad incident.
"She started with that when she refused to put on the agenda the request of more than 80 members of the opposition for a debate on confidence in the government because of the murder and crime in Novi Sad," Đilas remarked.
The Chinese companies that took part in the reconstruction have stated the concrete canopy was not part of their work.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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