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Ukraine crisis: President asks PM Yatsenyuk to resign | Ukraine crisis: President asks PM Yatsenyuk to resign |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has asked Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk to resign, saying he has lost the support of the ruling coalition. | Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has asked Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk to resign, saying he has lost the support of the ruling coalition. |
But Mr Poroshenko said that there would not be a snap election. | But Mr Poroshenko said that there would not be a snap election. |
Mr Yatsenyuk's government has been criticised over the slow pace of reforms and faces allegations of corruption. | Mr Yatsenyuk's government has been criticised over the slow pace of reforms and faces allegations of corruption. |
Western governments have expressed concern over the resignation of reform-minded figures from the government. | Western governments have expressed concern over the resignation of reform-minded figures from the government. |
Demonstrators have gathered outside parliament in Kiev to protest against government policies. | Demonstrators have gathered outside parliament in Kiev to protest against government policies. |
Ukraine teeters a few steps from chaos | Ukraine teeters a few steps from chaos |
'Surgical means' | 'Surgical means' |
In a statement, Mr Poroshenko said it was "obvious" that there was demand for a "complete reset of the cabinet". | In a statement, Mr Poroshenko said it was "obvious" that there was demand for a "complete reset of the cabinet". |
"The cabinet has lost the coalition's trust," he said. | "The cabinet has lost the coalition's trust," he said. |
"To restore this trust, therapy is not enough. One should resort to surgical means," the president added, saying a new cabinet could be formed by the existing parliamentary coalition. | |
Mr Poroshenko also urged the country's prosecutor general Viktor Shokin to step down, and unconfirmed reports in Ukrainian media suggest he has tendered his resignation. | |
Shortly after the president's statement, Mr Yatsenyuk addressed parliament, but was not explicit on whether he would resign, saying he would accept whatever decision parliament made. | |
In a report to lawmakers that reviewed the government's performance in 2015 and its agenda for this year, he said his cabinet had done all it could under difficult circumstances. | |
"We have built the foundations for a new country, let's build a new Ukraine, do not stop, reforms are the only way forward," he said. | |
Parliament is now due to vote on Mr Yatsenyuk's performance. | |
Mr Poroshenko's party will criticise the prime minister as being as "unsatisfactory", its leader Yuriy Lutsenko told parliament. That would raise the possibility of the no-confidence vote. | |
Mr Yatsenyuk's popularity has fallen, amid infighting and allegations of corruption. | Mr Yatsenyuk's popularity has fallen, amid infighting and allegations of corruption. |
Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius - seen as a key reformer by the West - resigned this month, claiming that huge quantities of money were being diverted from the government. | Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius - seen as a key reformer by the West - resigned this month, claiming that huge quantities of money were being diverted from the government. |
The International Monetary Fund has threatened to withhold aid money to Ukraine if it does not carry out reforms. | The International Monetary Fund has threatened to withhold aid money to Ukraine if it does not carry out reforms. |