Addressing the crowd, the leader of the country's biggest trade union federation, Dusan Semolic, said that the government was conducting an unacceptable neoliberal policy of austerity, reducing the achievements of welfare state and the quality of life of employees.

"We are resolutely telling our government and politicians that workers are not commodities, and we demand that they oppose the concept of neoliberalism which is rampant in Europe," Semolic said, noting that the present crisis was not caused by workers but by "insatiable capitalists and bankers".

Student leaders spoke against the commercialisation and privatisation of higher education and reduction of funding for public education, urging the government to adopt measures to reduce unemployment among young people.

Representatives of pensioners' associations warned of decreasing living standards among their population, which they said could be further exacerbated by the planned pension reform.

No incidents were reported during the protest rally.