Thousands of people demonstrated in Belgrade on Friday night at the call of nationalist parties and movements against the European plan to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo, ahead of new talks between their leaders under the auspices of Brussels, reports AFP.

About 4,000 people, an AFP photographer said, gathered outside St Sava’s Cathedral and marched to the president of the Balkan country, which has never recognized the independence of its former southern province, which was declared in 2008.

Banners and placards carried by the demonstrators read “No surrender” and “Down with the Franco-German plan.”

“This plan, which is presented to us as a compromise, leads directly to the creation of a Greater Albania,” Milica Djurdevic Stamenkovski, president of the far-right Zavetniki party, said from the podium.

Like other speakers, Djordjevic Stamenkovski criticized the policies of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who is due to meet with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell on Saturday in Ohrid, North Macedonia.

“We invite him and ask him to reject everything tomorrow in Ohrid, this ultimatum (…), every article. These are not agreements, this is treason,” the politician added.

“Treason!”, “Long live Putin!” or “Serbia-Russia, we don’t need the Union!” chanted the crowd.

Originally presented as a Franco-German plan, this new European exit plan, also backed by Washington, was unveiled at the end of February.

In particular, it says that “Serbia will not oppose Kosovo’s accession to the international organization,” a key demand of Pristina, and that “neither side will block or encourage the other to block the other’s progress in its European course.”

The leaders of the two countries agreed in Brussels at the end of February on the principle of implementation of the agreement, and new negotiations are aimed at agreeing the modalities.

Kosovo and Serbia must reach a “clear agreement on how to implement the proposed provisions”, Josep Borrell said on Thursday, urging the two leaders to show “courage” in further talks on Saturday.

Normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina is an “important step” towards their goal of one day joining the EU, he said.

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, which has a predominantly Albanian population of 1.8 million, remain high nearly 25 years after a deadly war between Albanian independence fighters and Serbian forces.