[WORLD NEWS ★★★]
KOSOVO LAWMAKERS THROW TEAR GAS IN PARLIAMENT
(P1) Kosovo’s OPPOSITION lawmakers DISRUPTED a session of PARLIAMENT by throwing TEAR GAS in the CHAMBER for a second week, in protest at agreements made with Serbia.
(P2) Despite tight security at the entrance to prevent a repeat of the previous week’s CHAOS, opposition lawmakers SMUGGLED IN tear gas CANISTERS and set them off before the day’s session could begin.
(P3) Before the gas was released, the opposition lawmakers had gathered around the PODIUM to prevent any DEBATE.
(P4) “The opposition has enough tear gas to block any session,” said Glauk Konjufca of the Self-Determination POLITICAL PARTY, which leads the opposition.
(P5) The opposition lawmakers are angry at agreements with Serbia that could give greater AUTONOMY to Kosovo’s Serb MINORITY.
(P6) The opposition also rejects a BORDER agreement reached with Montenegro, because it means that Kosovo is losing TERRITORY.
(P7) Kosovo, whose population is PREDOMINANTLY Albanian-speaking, declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia rejected the move and still considers Kosovo as its southern PROVINCE.
(P8) The government CONDEMNED the “illegal and ANARCHIC acts” of the opposition as “inconsistent with any code of ETHICS, morals, and democratic practice”.
(P9) But the protesters, who have also blown whistles and thrown eggs in recent sessions, have promised to keep disrupting parliament until the government rejects the deals with Serbia.
(P10) The clouds of tear gas released in last week’s protest caused two lawmakers to FAINT, and the US EMBASSY in Kosovo said some of its PERSONNEL who were in the chamber at the time had to seek medical TREATMENT.
(P11) Albin Kurti, the founder of the Self-Determination party, was seen opening a tear gas canister and kicking it around the chamber. The public PROSECUTOR’s office said it had started investigations against Kurti and fellow party member Albulena Haxhiu over causing danger and using weapons.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- Why would lawmakers behave so IMMATURELY?
- ETHNIC TENSIONS between Serbians, Kosovan Albanians, and other groups in that part of Europe are very strong. Are there any tensions between ethnic or religious groups in your country or region?
- Do you support a particular political party in your country?
- Do you know any politicians personally?
EXPRESSIONS TO PRACTICE:
What do the following expressions mean? Practice using each expression in a sentence; extra points if you can use it in conversation.
- Tear gas
- Smuggle in
- Political party
- Ethnic tension
