03/1/2012 (Agence Europe) - Resignation of government. The Ukrainian President's office announced on 3 December that Prime Minister Mykola Azarov had resigned, taking the whole government down with him. “Mr Azarov has submitted his resignation, stating that he wishes to take up the parliamentary seat he won in the elections at the end of October”, says a press release from the President's office (our translation). Several other ministers were also elected to parliament. Azarov had been prime minister since the election of Victor Yanukovich, of whom he is a close ally, as president at the start of 2010. (CG/transl.fl)