Several Hundred Protesters Rally in Montenegro

The rally, a rare occurrence in Montenegro, was organised by the NGO Libertas through the social networking site Facebook.

Demonstrators held posters reading "We want change" and "Luksic, stand beside us", referring to Prime Minister Igor Luksic.

"Thank you, heroes of Montenegro, who have today slapped the mafia regime of Milo Djukanovic," Robert Velasevic, the founder of the Facebook group 'street protests against the mafia', told the crowd.

Velasevic was referring to former prime minister Milo Djukanovic, who stepped down from his post in December amid allegations of corruption, which he has denied.

Velasevic announced that new protests would be organised in the coming days.

Monday's rally was also attended by leaders of opposition parties - the New Serbian Democracy and the Movement for Change, Andrija Mandic and Nebojsa Medojevic.

Montenegro is the latest in a series of Balkan countries to see anti-government protest in recent weeks. Demonstrators have taken to the streets in Croatia several times a week over the past month, calling on the government to resign and asking for fresh elections to be held, while several hundred people gathered in Bosnia's Republika Srpska at the weekend to protest over the region's economic situation.