Protestors enter into the parliament building in Skopje, Macedonia, Thursday, April 27, 2017. Scores of protesters have broken through a police cordon and entered Macedonian parliament to protest the election of a new speaker despite a months-long deadlock in talks to form a new government. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) (The Associated Press)
SKOPJE, Macedonia – The Latest on the political crisis in Macedonia (all times local):
9:45 a.m.
Macedonia's president has called an emergency meeting of political leaders, hours after demonstrators — mostly supporters of the country's dominant conservative party — invaded parliament and assaulted opposition lawmakers.
Police said 77 people, including opposition Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev, the head of a small ethnic Albanian opposition party and 22 police, were injured in the overnight riot.
It was unclear whether opposition party leaders would heed President Gjorge Ivanov's call to attend the meeting to defuse the tension.
Late Thursday, demonstrators stormed the legislature and attacked lawmakers to protest the election of a new speaker despite a months-old deadlock in efforts to form a new government.
___
9:10 a.m.
The European Union has condemned the violence that swept Macedonia's parliament and said that the cornerstones of democracy should be respected.
EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said Friday that "violence is unacceptable, even more so when it happens in the house of democracy."
On Thursday, demonstrators stormed the legislature and attacked lawmakers to protest the election of a new speaker despite a months-old deadlock in efforts to form a new government.
Clashes over several hours injured 77 people, including 22 police officers and several lawmakers, authorities said.
Mogherini, attending a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Malta, called the incident a "serious crisis that can be dangerous."
Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world.