Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko dissolved the parliament on Monday and called new parliamentary elections for May 27, Russian news agencies reported.

Yushchenko announced the decision in a nationwide televised address after consultations with the parliamentary leadership and leaders of parliamentary factions, the Itar-Tass said.

The decree will be effective only if it was published on official newspaper.

However, the Ukrainian parliament banned the press to public Yushchenko's decree. It also required parliament members to abide by only government instructions and resolutions of the parliament.