Serb opposition politician Zoran Djindjic said in a Russian television interview broadcast on Friday that opponents of President Slobodan Milosevic would proceed with mass protests later this month.

"We are indeed starting a serious civil campaign to secure new elections and change in Serbia. The authorities are not allowing the necessary changes to go ahead," Djinjic said in an interview broadcast on ORT public television. "We are one of the most isolated countries in the world. Our government cannot rule the territory it has...We want faster change and we can help speed it up with protests and demonstrations." ORT said the interview, with Djindjic speaking by mobile telephone from Belgrade, had been conducted several days ago. It said Yugoslav authorities had tried to prevent the tape from being taken out of the country and that it could not reveal how and through whom the video material had reached Moscow. Russian authorities have publicly supported Yugoslavia and defended Belgrade during the 11-week-long NATO air campaign against Yugoslav targets last year. Though Moscow contributed more than 3,000 peacekeepers to the NATO-led KFOR operation in Kosovo, it has expressed anger at KFOR_s alleged failure to protect Kosovo_s Serb minority from attacks by majority ethnic Albanians. Djindjic_s interview was broadcast as Serbian opposition politicians debated what action to take against the Belgrade government_s shutdown of four local radio stations and three television channels in the past 10 days. Leaders are due to meet next week to decide on concrete days for planned protests.