Athens, January 16 (RHC)-- Thousands of demonstrators have once again taken to the streets of the Greek capital, Athens, to protest against planned modifications of the country’s pension system demanded by international lenders in return for rescue funds.

According to media reports, about 3,000 people took part in the peaceful protests outside parliament in Athens on Saturday. The ADEDY public sector union said in a statement that the march in Syntagma Square, next to parliament, was called to say "no to the dissolution of the security system."

"We will fight to protect our rights and force the government to withdraw this monstrous plan that it calls a reform," the secretary general of private sector union GSEE, Nikos Kioutsoukis, told Reuters.

Meanwhile, Greek labor unions will stage a 24-hour general strike on February 4 against the pension reforms. It will be the third such walkout in three months. The rallies were the latest in a series of protests against the austerity cuts Greece has imposed over the years in return for rescue funds.