Ukrainian parliament rejects PM's resignation

KIEV - The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday failed to approve the resignation tendered by Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk last week, the parliamentary press service said.

Yatsenyuk's resignation was backed by only 16 of the 339 deputies present at the 450-seat assembly.

The decision means that Yatsenyuk and the current cabinet will continue to fulfill their duties until parliamentary elections, which are widely expected to be held in October.

Yatsenyuk, a 40-year-old pro-European technocrat, took charge of the Ukrainian cabinet in late February, following the anti-government street rallies which toppled ex-President Viktor Yanukovych and the former government.

Last week, Yatsenyuk tendered his resignation in protest against what he called the "ineffectiveness" of parliament after the collapse of the ruling coalition.