Turkey's 77-year-old prime minister was hospitalized Friday for a second time this month, sparking fears of political instability and sending the stock market plummeting.
Doctors said Bulent Ecevit was suffering from a broken rib and an inflammation in the leg and would be hospitalized for at least a week. But they stressed he had no serious ailment. AP reported.
Ecevit, who heads the Democrat Leftist Party, has struck a balance among the three partners in the coalition governing Turkey. If he were to withdraw from the political scene, it could put in doubt an economy recovery program backed by the International Monetary Fund.
The stock market, which has been closely following the ailing premier's health, was down 4.39 percent Friday. The currency lost 4 percent of its value against the dollar.
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, head of the coalition partner Motherland Party, said Ecevit would continue working from the hospital. Ecevit's spokesman said the premier would meet with his coalition partners in the hospital Tuesday to discuss relations with the EU.
Ecevit canceled trips to Pakistan and Afghanistan that had been scheduled for next week. Visits by the Syrian and Indian prime ministers have been postponed.
"My temporary ailment is not cause for a negative effect, either on the future of the economy or on our political situation," Ecevit said in a statement. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
