Kosovo Parliament disrupted with tear gas, again

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Opposition lawmakers in Kosovo have again disrupted parliament with tear gas, in a continuing protest against deals with Serbia and Montenegro.

Glauk Konjufca of the main opposition Self-Determination Movement Party on Monday said party members won't allow sessions to be held until the government renounces a deal with Serbia giving more powers to ethnic-Serb communities in Kosovo and another with Montenegro on border demarcation.

"There will be confrontation. We shall not allow holding of the assembly sessions," Konjufca said when he was told the governing majority would hold the session in another hall.

Over the past three months, the opposition has regularly disrupted parliament with tear gas, pepper spray, whistles and water bottles.

Two of its lawmakers are under arrest and arrest warrants have been issued for two others.

Police reported they had arrested an opposition lawmaker Monday after finding two tear gas canisters on him as he tried to enter the Parliament hall.

Parliament Speaker Kadri Veseli urged the opposition not to disrupt parliament this week, when U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is due in Pristina.

A chaotic situation continued at the Parliament building Monday afternoon. A tear gas canister was opened in the lobby as some opposition lawmakers tried to go round guards to reach the higher floors of the building.

There have been calls from the governing lawmakers to temporarily suspend the opposition's presence in the hall.

The government of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa has accused the opposition of trying to come to power by force.

The Constitutional Court has suspended the deal with Serbia until it rules on whether it breaches the constitution while the government also has said it will ask for international expertize for the border demarcation with Montenegro.

Kosovo and Serbia are holding EU-mediated talks to overcome their differences. Kosovo in 2008 declared independence from Serbia, an act that Serbia still rejects.

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Gresa Kraja in Pristina, Kosovo and Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania, contributed to this report.