Ukranian Pm's Resignation Rejected

The Ukranian parliament refused the resignation of Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who announced his intention to quit last Thursday following the breakup of the ruling coalition.



The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament which is composed of 450 deputies, voted 16 in favor of his resignation and 109 against. 



The Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, known as the UDAR, and the nationalist Svoboda party announced their withdrawal from the coalition, triggering the dissolution of the parliament and the scheduling of an early election.



Speaking at parliament last Thursday, Yatsenyuk said: "I have decided to resign from my post in connection with the breakup of the parliamentary coalition and non-adoption of a number of important bills."



The Ukrainian government named Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Groysman as acting prime minister following the resignation of Yatsenyuk.



Yatsenyuk was appointed prime minister on February 27 after the collapse of the former government of Victor Yanukovych following mass street protests.



The protests erupted in November after Yanukovych announced he was ditching an extensive trade agreement with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Moscow.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Kiev