Prominent Bulgarian poet Edvin Sugarev, who has been on a hunger strike against the country’s Socialist-led government for 22 days now, has been moved to a hospital intensive care unit, according to local media.

The Bulgarian National Radio and the 24 Chasa daily say Sugarev’s condition has worsened.

Four of the poet’s children declared on Wednesday that they are joining his hunger strike.

The poet said on Monday that he was feeling relatively well, despite having lost a significant amount of weight.

Earlier this week, a number of respected Bulgarian intellectuals wrote a letter to Mr. Sugarev and to photographer Nikolay Genov, who is also on a hunger strike, asking them to stop amid fears for their health and life.

The series of anti-government protests in Bulgaria was triggered by the scandalous appointment of controversial media mogul Delyan Peevski as Chair of the State Agency for National Security (DANS) on June 14.

Although the appointment was revoked, Bulgarians went on to demand that the cabinet of PM Plamen Oresharski resign collectively.

Edvin Sugarev launched his hunger strike on June 26.