Bulgaria’s acting PM released from hospital
Bulgaria’s acting Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, who remains in office pending the appointment of a caretaker government amid the country’s continuing political crisis, has been released from Lozenets government hospital in Sofia on March 4, local news agency Focus reported.
Unlike his first stay in hospital last week, this time he only stayed in hospital just over 24 hours.
Borissov was admitted to hospital at about 1pm on March 3, Bulgaria’s national day and a Sunday that again saw tens of thousands of Bulgarians turn out for nationwide protests to press home a range of demands connected to cost of living and demands for changes to the political system.
He had been admitted to Lozenets hospital with high blood pressure on February 25, the day that – as leader of the GERB party – Borissov formally declined a mandate offered by President Rossen Plevneliev to form a government. In the ensuing days, that week’s Cabinet meeting was twice postponed because Borissov still was in hospital, finally meeting on Friday after he was discharged.
After his February 25 admission to hospital, it emerged that Borissov had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and associated ischemic heart disease two years ago. His party has said that should GERB again win the largest share of seats in early elections, now to be held on May 12, Borissov would return as prime minister.
