KYIV. July 26 (Interfax-Ukraine) – A collective lawsuit is being drawn up in Kropyvnytsky (former Kirovohrad) to challenge the renaming of the city, Head of nongovernmental organization Perspektyva Mista (Prospect of the City) Artem Stryzhakov has said.

"Yesterday a first general city meeting was held in Kirovohrad… We have decided to appeal to court. One of the decisions to boycott the name Kropyvnytsky," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.

He said that the boycott means urging the public via various information channels not to use the name Kropyvnytsky in oral speech and mailing with authorities of the city.

In turn, MP from Opposition Block Serhiy Larin said that there are two lawsuits today.

"They are ready to be signed. The first one is from lawmaker that my rights as a lawmaker were violated. I was banned from making a speech. The requirements of the parliament regulations and the Constitution were violated. The second lawsuit is from residents of the city. I know that it is not sole. A lawsuit is being prepared in Kirovohrad. We will unite to annul the resolution," he said.

He said that signatures for the lawsuit will be collected in Kirovohrad to challenge the renaming of the city.

"We are preparing lawsuits to the ECHR, understanding the decisions of our today's courts. We see how they treat lawsuits regarding city renaming," Larin said.

Earlier Larin was Head of Kirovohrad Regional Administration and lawmakers of the regional council.

As reported, on July 14, 2016, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada changed the name of the city of Kirovohrad to Kropyvnytsky in pursuant to the law on the condemnation of communist and national socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the prohibition of propaganda of their symbols.

Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy on the same day signed a decree on renaming Kirovohrad Kropyvnytsky.