Western diplomats condemn attack on Macedonia's parliament

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Western diplomats in Macedonia have issued a joint statement condemning the attack on the country's parliament Thursday night.

"An attack on a state institution which is at the heart of democracy is an attack on democracy itself," says the statement by the heads of the European Union delegation, the U.S. Embassy, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission and the NATO liaison office in Macedonia.

Months of political tensions boiled over Thursday night over disagreements about the election of a new parliament speaker.

The Western diplomats express concern that authorities failed to prevent the attack and did not provide the necessary security to parliament members and journalists present.

More than 100 people were injured, most of them protesters. Police officers and about a dozen lawmakers also were injured.