PRISTINA: Members of the Parliament disperse after a tear gas was launched by opposition lawmakers in the Kosovo’s parliament. — AFP

PRISTINA: Opposition lawmakers released tear gas yesterday in Kosovo's parliament as they once again tried to pressure the government into renouncing deals with Serbia and Montenegro. Clouds of smoke from two tear gas canisters forced lawmakers out of the debating chamber. The parliamentary session restarted later in another room without the presence of opposition lawmakers. An opposition political party, the Alliance for Kosovo's Future, said one of its lawmakers, Pal Lekaj, was arrested, allegedly for using tear gas.

Meanwhile, police dispersed dozens of opposition supporters throwing stones and paint outside the building. There were no reports of any injuries. Over the past three months, the opposition has blocked Kosovo's parliament with tear gas, pepper spray, whistles and water bottles to protest the deals and their supporters have held violent protests in Pristina.

One of the deals gives more powers to ethnic Serbs in Kosovo while the other demarcates the border with Montenegro. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, an act that Serbia still rejects. The two countries have been holding European Union-mediated talks to overcome their differences. Glauk Konjufca of the Self-Determination Movement told reporters the opposition would continue different forms of pressure on the government "to make it understand that the Aug 25 deals ... cannot pass in Kosovo and that the opposition is determined to use all the methods so these two deals damaging Kosovo's statehood are not applied."

US Ambassador Greg Delawie, who was at parliament, criticized yesterday's incident. He repeated the warning from US Secretary of State John Kerry, who visited two weeks ago, that parliament is "where meaningful debates on public policy are conducted, where people can listen to each other peacefully."

If the government refuses to halt the deals, the opposition wants a referendum on the issues or a new election. The government, the president and the international community have called for dialogue. The deal on Serb minority rights is suspended until Kosovo's constitutional court rules on its legality. The government, which accuses the opposition of trying to seize power by force, has said it will ask international experts to decide on the border demarcation with Montenegro. - AP