Former Greek state hospital head released on bail

The former board chairman of a state children’s hospital charged with soliciting a bribe has been released on bail after a long deposition.

Haris Tobouloglou must post a 150,000-euro ($206,000) bail and is forbidden to leave the country. He faces charges of soliciting a 25,000-euro ($34,000) bribe from an advertising firm that had secured a $190,000-euro ($260,000) contract to coordinate an information campaign against child obesity.

Tobouloglou, 54, was arrested on Christmas Eve after he was handed the requested bribe in marked notes. He was fired from his hospital position and his full-time job at the National Bank of Greece Friday.

Tobouloglou was also expelled from the ruling New Democracy party, in which he had been active as a youth leader and a local government official.