But the attempt by the opposition to take the political initiative has been dealt a blow by the announcement of early elections.

The election announcement is expected to dampen enthusiasm for the street protest.





A number of key figures have distanced themselves from the event, crucially the controversial politician Vuk Draskovic.

Timely announcement

The BBC's Correspondent in Belgrade says the announcement of the early election was timed to defuse the impact of the Belgrade rally.





Opposition leaders have dismissed the move, saying that the elections would be marred by fraud.

"We are ready to test the people's will, but under new and better circumstances," said Ljiljana Lucic of the Democratic Party.

Milan Bozic of the Serbian Renewal Movement said his party was willing to go along with early elections but only under international control.

The Serbian parliament will meet next month to set a date for the election, likely to be in November.

Rally against Milosevic

The rally planned in Belgrade is to the first major anti-government protest being held in the Yugoslav capital in two years.





Protests against Milosevic are growing

On Wednesday, over 20,000 people took part in an opposition rally organised by the Alliance for Change coalition in the southern city of Nis.

But the rally also illustrates the fractious nature of the Serbian opposition, with several key leaders staying away.

The maverick leader of the Serbian Renewal Party, Vuk Draskovic, is not attending the rally, leading to speculation that he has struck a deal with Mr Milosevic.

Another prominent opposition leader, Vesna Pesic of the Civic Alliance, has left for Montenegro, reportedly after the government launched an investigation against her.

But other opposition figures remain hopeful of a good show, which in turn could bolster their campaign to force Mr Milosevic to step down.

"If we have more than 100,000 people in the streets of Belgrade, this will be a sign for the authorities that this is their last peaceful chance to leave their posts..." said rally organiser Mladjan Dinkic.

The Serbian opposition is pushing for the Yugoslav president to step aside, paving the way for a transitional government ahead of fresh elections.