(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-21 21:09

BELGRADE - Serbia is to hold a mass rally on Thursday in the capital Belgrade to protest against Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence and against those countries that recognize it.

The peaceful protest, to be attended by people from all parts of Serbia, will start at 5 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) in front of the Serbian Parliament building and end with a protest march to the St. Sava Church where prayers for the salvation of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija will be held at 7 p.m. (1800 GMT), the official Tanjug news agency reported.

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and leader of the largest opposition party in parliament Tomislav Nikolic will address the rally. Rectors of some universities in Pristina and Belgrade, students, leaders of Montenegro's opposition parties, actors, and athletes will also speak at the rally.

Kosovo, the ethnic Albanian-dominated province which has been under United Nations administration since 1999, unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on February 17.

Protests have been staged in a number of Serbian cities and towns as well as in the Serb-populated northern part of Kosovo since Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence.