In July 18, 2014, photo, Italy’s former Premier Silvio Berlusconi waves as he leaves the ‘Sacra Famiglia’ institute in Cesano Boscone, Italy. Media mogul Silvio Berlusconi, who served three times as Italian premier, was undergoing heart surgery Tuesday June 14, 2016 at a Milan hospital. AP
ROME—Ex-Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has left a hospital three weeks after undergoing heart surgery, saying he hopes to still be useful to Italians but that he’s gravely concerned about the state of Italy, Europe and the world.
The 79-year-old Berlusconi walked slowly and gingerly, clutching the shoulder of an aide as he emerged Tuesday from the San Raffaele clinic in Milan.
The media mogul underwent surgery to replace a malfunctioning heart valve on June 14.
He told reporters outside the hospital that he was feeling better but that the ordeal had been “very very painful.” He said during his time in the hospital, he was gravely concerned about the “ferocious, absurd terrorism” that was afflicting the world and the possible disintegration of the 28-nation European Union after Britain’s vote to leave.