Opposition leader Alexei Navalny's political party has changed its name to the Party of Progress, after the government had denied it registration over a name dispute, the politician and anti-corruption blogger said.
The organization, formerly known as People's Alliance, changed its moniker at a congress on Saturday because "Kremlin-linked thieves have stolen and registered that name," Navalny said in a Twitter message.
The Justice Ministry has repeatedly denied registration to Navalny's party. In the latest rejection last month, the ministry said that Navalny's People's Alliance — which had operated since 2012 — could not be registered because another party, formed a year later, had already secured registration under that name.