Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych refused Wednesday to bow tothe president's order to hold early parliamentary elections, saying he wouldwait until the Constitutional Court rules on its legality.

President Viktor Yushchenko ordered parliament dissolved on Monday night,and called new elections for May 27, plunging Ukraine into its most seriouspolitical crisis since the 2004 Orange Revolution.

Yanukovych has called Yushchenko's decision illegal and appealed to the18-judge Constitutional Court.

"Until the issue is considered by the Constitutional Court, we will not preparefor elections in any way," the prime minister said Wednesday.

He accused the president's office of putting pressure on the judges, andannounced that the chief justice planned to resign. Court spokesman IvanAvramov said he had no such information.