Ukrainian parliament speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn said on Tuesday the country's parliament majority coalition has been disbanded, which puts Ukraine under threat of a parliamentary crisis.

"In line with Ukrainian Constitution and the Supreme Rada regulations, I announce the cessation of activities of the Supreme Rada parliamentary factions' coalition," Lytvyn said during a parliamentary session.

On February 10, the Ukrainian parliament passed a law requiring the majority coalition manifest to be signed by at least 226 of the coalition members. Previously, only the signatures of faction leaders were necessary to constitute a coalition.

The current governing coalition, led by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, had a formal majority in the 450-seat parliament, comprising the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (156 seats), the Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defense bloc, led by former President Viktor Yushchenko (76), and the Lytvyn Bloc (20).

Tymoshenko was unlikely to manage to collect the requested number of signatures as in practice many of the Our Ukraine lawmakers had not been involved in the coalition.

The collapse of the coalition means Tymoshenko may be forced out as prime minister, if new Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych can create a new majority coalition around his Party of Regions, which is the largest group in the parliament with 175 seats.

In line with Ukrainian law, the prime minister is appointed by the parliament.

Tymoshenko, who has been at pains to preserve the coalition to remain in her post, said on Monday no official had a legal right to disband the coalition citing newly adopted regulations. The coalition is only considered disbanded if a faction leaves it, she said.

If Yanukovych fails to muster the support for a new governing coalition, he is likely to seek to call early parliamentary elections.

The Ukrainian parliament was elected for a five-year term in September 2007. The parties of Tymoshenko and Yanukovych together fought off efforts by Yushchenko to hold snap polls in late 2008.

Alexander Yefremov, a Party of Regions member, said on Tuesday a new coalition and a new government would be created within the next week.

"If it would not, then the early elections scenario is becoming more possible," he said.

The lawmaker added Tymoshenko, who has pledged to leave the government if she is dismissed as prime minister, is unlikely to keep her word.

The parliament is expected to vote on Wednesday to censure Tymoshenko's government.

Tymoshenko lost the country's presidential polls, garnering just 3.47% less than Yanukovych in the February 7 runoff.

KIEV, March 2 (RIA Novosti)