In the Parliament of Macedonia riots broke out
In the Parliament of Macedonia violence erupted after ethnic Albanian MP was elected speaker, causing outrage from nationalists.
According to the news Agency of Macedonia, hundreds of protesters got angry and stormed the Parliament building, demanding new elections. Television footage from inside the building showed people with black masks, making a mess.
It is unclear how many people were injured, but the frame was spotted by the leader of the Social democratic Union Zoran Zaev with blood on his face and head. The U.S. Embassy in Skopje condemned the violence and requested all parties to refrain from further action.
"Most members elected Talaat Haveri for the post of speaker of Parliament during the next session of Parliament, which was attended by representatives of the public and the press. We will work with them to support democracy and promote the interest of Macedonia", reads the statement of the Embassy. Federica Mogherini, the leading diplomat of the European Union, and EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn condemned the violence and called for restraint.
Macedonia - the former Republic of Yugoslavia. After the collapse of Yugoslavia in the early 1990-ies the country was gripped by ethnic tension and violence. The Albanian minority, constituting a quarter of the population, led an armed uprising in the 2000s, the years ended peace agreement, NATO. It was assumed that the peace agreement will give Albanians more rights, but it was never realized. Since then, tensions remain high.
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