Ukraine Parliament Rejects PM Yatsenyuk's Resignation

Ukraine's legislature, the Verkhovna Rada, has turned down the resignation Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk submitted earlier in July.

Yatsenyuk announced he was stepping down last week after the governing coalition collapsed due to the decision of two of its parties, UDAR and Svoboda, to quit.

During its session on Thursday the Ukrainian Parliament also passed budget amendments proposed by the cabinet, which envisage an increase in military expenditures.

Lawmakers rejected the resignation by a majority of 16-311, according to Ukraine's news agency UNIAN.

The interim government took over in February, after the Rada voted to declare President Viktor Yanukovych illegitimate amid unrest in the streets of Kiev.

Political leaders then agreed that early general elections should be held in the months to come, though a date was not specified.