Driton Caushi, a Vetevendosje MP reportedly triggered a teargas canister in the Assembly hall during a discussion on the demarcation between Kosovo and Montenegro at the Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Affairs.

The members of the Commission were debating the draft law on the border demarcation deal, which is expected to be voted on by the Kosovo Assembly this Thursday.

Kosovo opposition parties Vetevendosje, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and Initiative for Kosovo, NISMA have opposed the border deal, claiming that Kosovo will lose 8,000 hectares. Opposition supporters have rallied in protests since June last year, while opposition MPs obstructed Assembly meetings by throwing water, whistling, and activating tear gas canisters.

Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli invited more than a hundred MPs and experts, the original commission and the opposition, to discuss the demarcation deal on August 3. Before the 12 hour meeting officially ended, the draft law adhering to the original demarcation deal was ratified and forwarded to the Assembly by the Kosovo government.

On Thursday night, unknown assailants threw an explosive device at the Kosovo Assembly building and caused property damages but no casualties. There has been no evidence linking the attack to the demarcation debate.

A week later, teargas was activated when the members of the commission voted in favor of sending the  border demarcation deal to the assembly.

Prime Minister Isa Mustafa arrived at the Assembly soon after. Vetevendosje MP Donika Kadaj Bujupi reacted on Facebook, claiming that Mustafa, “as always”, arrived just in time to see opposition MPs arrested. Kadaj Bujupi joined Vetevendosje this year, after a falling out with her original party AAK, which decided to stop using tear gas to obstruct Assembly meetings.

“As always, arrests and any other attempt to stop us are in vain. We do not intend to stop, because we do not have land to give away,” wrote Kadaj Bujupi on social media.