BRUSSELS – Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt on Wednesday afternoon left hospital, where he had been under observation following a serious car crash on Tuesday night.

Verhofstadt left the hospital in Ghent shortly after 3pm on Wednesday, wryly telling reporters that he felt better than the night before.

The Prime Minister’s aides said he was returning home to continue working on the case of international courier firm DHL, which may seriously reduce its operations in Belgium with the loss of up to 2,000 jobs.

Verhofstadt suffered two broken ribs, cuts and bruises in the crash, which saw his car roll over several times, but did not sustain any more serious injuries, Renaat Peleman, the lead doctor at Ghent university hospital said in a statement.

Peleman said the Prime Minister’s health was “very satisfactory” and added that doctors would decide later on Wenesday whether he could be released from hospital.

The accident happened in Ghent late on Tuesday, when Verhofstadt was being driven home by his chauffer.

Two eyewitenesses told the Belga news agency that the Prime Minister’s car flipped over “several times” before stopping in bushes.

It is not yet known what caused the accident.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news