Russian Opposition Parnas Party Registered By Justice Ministry

Opposition politician Vladimir Ryzhkov wil be the executive secretary of the party's Federal Political Council.

The Russian Justice Ministry on Thursday registered the opposition People's Freedom Party (Parnas).

Parnas has been active despite being unregistered since December 2010, when it was founded by former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, and opposition politicians Vladimir Milov and Vladimir Ryzhkov.

The Justice Ministry has been refusing to register the party, citing "inconsistency in the party's charter and other documents filed for the official registration."

The party's founders have called the refusal to register PARNAS a politically motivated decision.

The party is now registered as the Republican Party of Russia -- People's Freedom Party.

Ryzhkov is the executive secretary of the party's Federal Political Council, and Mikhail Shneider is the executive director.

Based on reporting by Interfax and ITAR-TASS