A protest rally was held in Zagreb on Saturday but failed to attract a lot of people.

The organisers sent a message to the government and employers saying they would not allow the continuation of the current economic and social policy, calling on workers, pensioners, unemployed and other people hit by the crisis not to fall into a state of apathy and hopelessness.

The protest rally, organised by four union federations, brought together some 1,000.

The unionists reiterated that Croatia today had 320,000 unemployed people, 80,000 workers who are not being paid for their work and 300,000 people receiving salaries amounting to less than HRK 3,000.

They also criticised the government-sponsored Economic Recovery Programme.

This was the first year that unionists did not organise the main celebration in Maksimir Park where trade union leaders, as well as representatives of students, unemployed, pensioners and others traditionally gather on 1 May each year.

The celebration in Maksimir Park this year was organised by the City of Zagreb.

Labour day protest were also organised in Osijek, Rijeka, Pula and Split.