Spain considers legal action against Polisario leader for unpaid €45,000 hospital bill

La Rioja's local government in Spain may sue Polisario leader Ibrahim Ghali to collect the 45,658 euro bill for his 44-day hospitalization in Logroño from April 18 to June 1, 2021.

Ghali's hospitalization sparked a diplomatic rift with Morocco, which was later resolved with Spain's support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the Sahara.

The previous socialist administration under Concha Andreu had withheld the bill from the judge investigating potential irregularities and abuse of power surrounding Ghali's hospitalization, citing patient privacy.

Spain allowed Ghali's hospitalization on humanitarian grounds at Algeria's request, as he reportedly suffered from severe COVID-19 pneumonia.