The doors of Greece’s largest hospital, Athens’ Evangelismos, are reportedly ready to “welcome back” a heart surgeon ousted last year for demanding an illegal cash payment from a patient. The man subsequently died because his operation was delayed 10 days until he paid the physician 500 euros — what has long been known in Greece as the despicable “fakelaki”, literally “envelope,” but metaphorically a bribe to get things done, usually by someone in the public sector.

According to a document now revealed by Proto Thema, surgeon Antonis Tsoukas has been reinstated to the hospital’s thoracic surgery clinic via a decision by health ministry general secretary Spyros Kokkinakis, with the reinstatement date showing Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Tsoukas was suspended pending the outcome of a criminal case against him. He was arrested in July 2014 in his hospital office by police with the envelope filled with 500 euros in his possession.

According to reports, the legal “remedy” allowing the surgeon’s reinstatement emanates from a notorious law passed during SYRIZA government’s seven months in office this year, the so-called “Katrougalos law” named after the relevant minister. Among others, the law stipulates that employees in the narrow and wider public sectors suspended for serious on-the-job infractions can re-appeal their cases.

In the national health care system (ESY), rogue physicians and health sector personnel number around 60 throughout the country.

Based on the recent law’s procedures, suspended doctors can have their case returned to the disciplinary boards of their respective hospitals — assuming such a body exist there — so that their case is reviewed anew.