Police face protesters gathered outside Macedonia鈥檚 parliament after the governing Social Democrats and ethnic Albanian parties voted to elect an Albanian as parliament speaker in Skopje on April 27, 2017. AFP
SKOPJE, Macedonia 鈥� Authorities in Macedonia said Friday 77 people have been injured in the clashes inside and outside the country鈥檚 parliament building.
The injured included 22 police officers and three lawmakers who were attacked when dozens of protesters pushed through a police cordon and stormed into parliament.
The demonstrators were angry over Thursday鈥檚 election by lawmakers of a new parliament speaker despite a months-old deadlock in efforts to form a new government.
The leader of Macedonia鈥檚 opposition Social Democrat party leader was one of those attacked and he has been greeted by hundreds of supporters. Zoran Zaev and several other lawmakers from his party appeared outside the Social Democratic headquarters in the capital several hours after the attack.
In a statement, the party accuses rival conservatives of inciting the violence and causing 鈥渉atred and division鈥� among Macedonians.
Greece鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said it was concerned that neighboring Macedonia may be 鈥渟liding into deep political crisis鈥� following attacks on politicians by protesters who swarmed into parliament.
A ministry statement聽issued late Thursday expressed 鈥渟adness and concern鈥� at the assault on parliament and called on Macedonia鈥檚 political rivals to show a 鈥渟pirit of compromise and collaboration.鈥�
Without it, the ministry said, 鈥渋mpasses can lead to explosive situations.鈥�
Demonstrators rushed into the parliament building and assaulted several lawmakers following a controversial vote to elect a new parliament speaker.