KIEV, February 26. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has urged the parliament to adopt a government program for the next year and called on all parties to demonstrate a responsible approach, the government’s press service said on Friday.
"Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk demands the parliament adopt the government-proposed program of action for the next year and demands political responsibility from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc and other political forces that won parliamentary seats in the 2014 elections," Yatsenyuk’s press secretary Olga Lappo said, commenting on media reports about the prime minister’s resignation.
She said the country and millions of Ukrainians who want changes need such a program. "The only way to success is common responsibility, common goals and common values, which are embodied in the association agreement with the European Union and the program of reforms initiated by the government and supported by the international community," she said.
Earlier, Ukrainian mass media said that Yatsenyuk has agreed to step down to be succeeded by the current Minister of Finance, Natalie Jaresko who will form a "technocratic government." Later on, the pro-presidential and pro-premier factions in the parliament dismissed these allegations.
On February 16, Ukraine’s parliament recognized the work of the Yatsenyuk government as unsatisfactory but failed to send it to resignation. A no-confidence vote was supported by 194 lawmakers whereas at least 226 votes are needed to pass a resolution. Following the abortive voting, the Batkivshchina (Fatherland) faction and several lawmakers from the pro-presidential Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction withdrew from the coalition. The Samopomoshch (Self-assistance) followed the lead on the next day leaving the coalition with only 215 votes which are not enough to take majority-vote decisions.