The issue of national identity is taken seriously by Balkan people – including the least serious among them.
Serb Parliamentarian Copies Bush Shoe Thrower
Belgrade | 26 November 2009 | Bojana Barlovac
The incident kicked off during a dispute over a letter allegedly written by the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which was read in parliament a day before.
Church representatives since denied the letter came from them, but Pop-Lazic's Radical party colleague Aleksandar Martinovic tried to prove the Synod stood behind the letter, when Comic cut him off, noting that he was in breach of the rules of procedure.
Pop-Lazic then took both hers shoes off and threw them at the deputy speaker.
Comic asked her to leave the session, saying her behavior damaged the reputation of the parliament.
Commenting afterwards Pop-Lazic told reporters that hers was "a symbolic gesture of disobedience over the offensive behavior directed at the dignity of MPs".
"This is a legitimate manner of protest of an MP who represents the people, and who is not able to tell parliament what the people think," Pop-Lazic added.
