Ukraine's prime minister Mr Viktor Yanukovich said today he would not accept his dismissal by parliament earlier in the day, claiming the move is illegal.
"I will never recognise this decision ... they approved thedecision in political terms. But it is against the law, it is against the constitution," he told reporters in a break during talks with international mediators to try to resolve Ukraine's presidential election crisis.
The opposition earlier scored a key win in its drive to overturn what it says was a rigged election, when parliament sacked the government of the prime inister and president-designate Mr Yanukovich.
Several hurdles remain before opposition leader Mr Viktor Yushchenko can claim outright victory in a crisis that has threatened to tear apart the ex-Soviet state that sits between former master Russia and an expanded European Union.
The vote passed at the second attempt through secret ballot at an unruly sitting of the assembly, with Mr Yushchenko's backers sporting orange scarves and ties - his campaign colour. Outside, tens of thousands of his supporters followed the debate through loudspeakers, cheering wildly at every procedural measure and embracing as the outcome was announced.
"It is an important and serious victory for us but there is still a lot to be done," parliamentary deputy Ms Mykola Tomenko told the crowd in nearby Independence Square, taken over by opposition supporters since the disputed November 21st presidential election.
The opposition has vowed to use "People Power" to win demands for a new election soon. Approval came just before the start of efforts by international mediators to help settle the crisis.
Deputies had also voted to create an interim "government of national trust".
Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma made clear he would not easily give up his battle with the opposition, rejecting its key demand that the presidential run-off his protege won be held again.
"Any rerun would simply be a farce. I cannot see it in any other way and I will never support it as it would be unconstitutional," he told a meeting of economic officials.
The Supreme Court is sitting for a third day today to decide whether the election was fraudulent. If it rules in favour of the opposition, the Central Election Commission will have to revoke the victory it handed to Mr Yanukovich and can then either set a repeat vote or a completely new election which would take up to three months to complete.
Mr Yanukovich himself becomes acting prime minister, a position he can hold under the constitution for two months. But, crucially for the opposition, it means he has effectively lost his administrative power base to help in a new election.
But there is widespread speculation that Kuchma will drop him and look for a new protege to challenge Mr Yushchenko.
Agencies