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Bosnian Police Evacuate Parliament Besieged By Protesters


The protest was sparked by delays in passing a new law on personal identification numbers.
The protest was sparked by delays in passing a new law on personal identification numbers.
Police in Sarajevo have evacuated hundreds of lawmakers, civil servants, and foreign guests who were trapped overnight inside Bosnia's parliament by protesters.

Nearly 3,000 protesters besieged the parliament building on June 6, preventing about 800 people, including foreign bankers attending a regional investment conference, from leaving.

Police took action before dawn on June 6 when only a few hundred protesters remained outside the building.

The protest was sparked by delays in passing a new law on personal identification numbers.

The absence of a new law since the old one lapsed in February has left all babies without personal documents.

Bosnia has been divided into Muslim-Croatian and Serbian entities since the 1992-95 war, and the new law has been delayed by disagreements among the ethnic communities.

Based on reporting by AP, dpa, and Reuters

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