Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski Saturday tweeted that there was no coup d’etat in Kiev, in response to Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych’s claims of a coup, Xinhua reported.

The Polish minister said the government buildings in Kiev were abandoned. The speaker of the Rada (parliament) was elected legally.

He underlined that President Yanukovich had 24 hours to sign the 2004 Ukrainian constitution into law.

The political situation in Ukraine changed drastically Saturday as protesters took control of the capital and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko was released from prison.

Yanukovych reportedly left Kiev for the pro-Russian east of the country. His presidential office in Kiev was seized by anti-government protesters Saturday.

Parliament voted on the day to remove Yanukovich and hold new elections.

In an interview with a Ukrainian TV station, President Yanukovych denounced the events witnessed by his country as “an example of a coup d’etat.” He also dismissed rumours of his resignation, saying he would not leave the country.