(21 Mar 2018) Kosovo's opposition on Wednesday used tear gas several times to disrupt a parliamentary vote on a border demarcation deal with Montenegro. Lawmakers had to be evacuated from the Assembly building after the Self-Determination Movement party used tear gas in the hall where the vote was due to start. The opposition used tear gas a second time when the session resumed. It wasn't immediately clear when the session would start again. Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said before the start of the session they had the votes to pass the deal. But a parliament majority can't be secured unless enough votes are gathered from the opposition ranks. Speaking to reporters after the incident, Haradinaj said the decision on the border demarcation deal rests entirely with lawmakers and the government will respect the outcome of the vote. The 120-seat parliament was expected to ratify the 2015 deal, which was set as a precondition by the European Union for Kosovo's citizens to freely travel within its visa-free travel zone known as Schengen. In order for it to be approved, two-thirds of lawmakers must support it. The opposition party says the border deal will mean Kosovo loses 8,200 hectares (20,000 acres) of its territory. The previous government and international experts deny that claim. Both the U.S. and EU ambassadors denounced the use of tear gas and urged the lawmakers to hold the vote in favour of the deal. Police said they were investigating how the tear gas got into the hall, adding that officers couldn't enter the chamber unless asked by the parliament's leadership. Later, police went into parliament and forced out a small group of opposition lawmakers, who had refused to leave since the morning. Police led them away, apparently for questioning. The opposition party, now divided in two groups because of internal frictions, has used tear gas and similar tactics to disrupt parliament over the past three years. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/236375693ccc241c995738a313bbe27b Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork