KIEV, February 22, (ITAR-TASS) - Ukraine’s parliament has approved a resolution on the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovich.
A total of 328 deputies have noted for the parliament’s resolution.
The resolution, which envisages holding presidential elections on May 25, 2014, will come into effect since the parliament has approved the resolution.
The resolution says Yanukovich removed himself from the constitutional powers. “The state cannot depend on the mood of the president, who has removed himself and whose whereabouts are unknown,” Verkhovna Rada speaker Aleksander Turchinov said.
“I want to say at about 15:00 Moscow time we’ve succeeded in contacting Yanukovich. In the presence of deputies Arseny Yatsenyuk (head of the Batkivshchina faction) has talked with him. Yatsenyuk proposed him to resign and he (Yanukovich) agreed,” Turchinov said, adding “Later, talking with other people Yanukovich denied his statement.”
In an interview with UBR television channel, Yanukovich said he considered the events in Ukraine “a coup d’etat”. “I’m going to resign and leave the country,” Yanukovich said.
Yanukovich would continue to hold office
President Viktor Yanukovich does not recognise the Verkhovna Rada’s resolution on his resignation, presidential aide Anna German said.
“The president considers the Verkhovna Rada’s decision illegal. He is currently in a working trip to Kharkov. His trip has been interpreted as he has removed himself,” UNIAN News Agency quoted the presidential aide as saying on Saturday.
She said Yanukovich was the incumbent president and would continue to hold office.