BELGRADE, Serbia — Scuffles and fistfights broke out between ruling party and opposition lawmakers in Serbia's parliament on Monday, weeks after a deadly rail station roof collapse that ignited tensions in the Balkan state.
The opposition wanted to discuss who is responsible for the crash that killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad on Nov. 1, while governing officials, who have a majority in Serbia's legislature, sought to adopt a bill on next year's state budget.
The opposition displayed a banner showing a red hand print reading ''blood is on your hands." The ruling party responded with a banner accusing the opposition of wanting ''war while Serbia wants to work.''
Scuffles erupted when the two sides tried to grab each other's banner.
The rail station, a major hub, was recently renovated as part of a Serbian-Chinese partnership. Critics allege that corruption, poor oversight and inadequate construction work contributed to the tragedy.
The collapse has fueled widespread anger toward the government and protests, becoming a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with Serbia's authoritarian rule. There are growing public demands for transparency while the country undertakes large infrastructure projects, mostly with Chinese state companies.
Serbia's parliament speaker Ana Brnabic on Monday accused the opposition of wanting to come to power by force with help from outside.
''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,'' she said.
