Pirate Party of Russia Moves to Register as Official Political Party

From the Moscow Times:

These "pirates" may be sailing against the tide, but they are riding a wave of popular opinion. A group of activists in their 20s who advocate modernizing the economy by "copying everything" are trying to register as a political party just as Russia tightens its anti-piracy policies in a bid for membership in the World Trade Organization.

The Pirate Party of Russia, which claims 15,000 registered online supporters, decided this month to apply for official party registration with the Justice Ministry. The so-called pirates will need to gather at least 45,000 signatures by March 12 to meet the government's criteria ― though that is little guarantee of state recognition.