The Regions Party is not ruling out that Mykola Azarov could be nominated for prime minister.

"There are other candidates apart from Azarov. But who will be nominated? I do not rule out that it could be the current prime minister," the leader of the Regions Party faction in parliament, Oleksandr Yefremov, said at a press conference on Monday.

Yefremov said that early on Monday, the president, in line with the Constitution of Ukraine, signed a decree dismissing Azarov as prime minister and authorizing him to act as head of government until a new prime minister is appointed.

He said that the talks on a nominee for prime minister had been held.

At the same time, he declined to predict what final result the parties involved in the talks will reach.

"The final result will depend on what nominations are put to the vote in the session hall on December 12," he said.

At the same time, Yefremov said that during the talks each participant has the right to express his views, but the president, listening to the parties, makes his own decision.

He said that the candidacy of Viktor Medvedchuk had not been considered by the Regions Party for the post of prime minister.

"The candidacy of Medvedchuk [former head of the presidential administration] was not considered by the party, and I don't see options for Medvedchuk's candidacy to be considered by our party. He is not a member of our party," Yefremov said.

At the same time, he noted that among other candidates the candidacy of National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Governor Serhiy Arbuzov was also being considered.

"His [Arbuzov's] candidacy is being considered among other candidates. He has the same chance as any other candidate. But there's no decision that his candidacy will be submitted today," he said.

Yefremov also did not specify how many candidates were being considered for the post of prime minister, adding that he considers it improper to name any candidates.

"It's wrong politically, morally or mentally, so I won't do that," he said.

As reported, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and the entire composition of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The respective decree, No. 673/2012, was signed on Monday. The decree comes into force on the day of its publication.

In the same decree, the president instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to continue fulfilling its duties until a new government is formed.