"The National Assembly will gather for its first session on May 17-18. The location will be specified later," a statement from the coalition said.

The Other Russia announced its plans for the alternative parliament, dubbed National Assembly, in mid-March in the wake of the presidential electi

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ons. The coalition comprises liberals from opposition groups and parties, public organizations and political activists.

Its most famous members are former world chess champion Garry Kasparov and writer and founder of the now-outlawed National Bolshevik Party, Eduard Limonov.

The opposition said a party conference is planned for April 5 in St. Petersburg and April 6 in Moscow, the aim being to establish and select the alternative parliament.

Earlier this month Russian opposition movements said they were planning to hold rallies in Moscow and St. Petersburg in early May prior to the inauguration of Dmitry Medvedev as president.

The inauguration of Dmitry Medvedev as president of Russia has been scheduled for May 7. Medvedev won the March 2 presidential elections by a landslide.

Opposition protestors called the March 2 polls undemocratic and "a farce," citing among other complaints the refusal of Russian electoral authorities to register a number of candidates, including the former Russian prime minister, Mikhail Kasyanov.

The opposition also complained of unequal access to the media and the use of administrative resources to back Medvedev, who received just over 70% of the vote

MOSCOW, March 27 (RIA Novosti)