Hungary’s state of emergency, first declared in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and later in 2022 over the Russia-Ukraine war, has officially ended after six years.

In the past four years, the Orbán government passed over 170 government decrees under the state of emergency “with regard to the armed conflict and humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine”.

Key emergency measures preserved

After the Tisza Party’s victory in the 12 April general election in Hungary, Tisza leader Péter Magyar asked the outgoing government to extend the state of emergency until 31 May to allow the incoming government time to change relevant laws. Instead, parliament passed a new law on 9 May converting emergency decrees into permanent legislation, which took effect on 14 May as the state of emergency lapsed.

The law preserves key emergency measures, including payment moratoriums for farmers hit by frost, drought, or African swine fever, with deadlines extended to 30 November 2026 for most cases and 30 June 2027 for swine fever-affected farms.

Protected fuel prices remain in Hungary

The law now formally requires the minister responsible for penal enforcement to oversee the management of correctional institutions. It also maintains capped fuel prices at HUF 595 (EUR 1.66) per litre for 95-octane petrol and HUF 615 per litre for diesel, as well as markup caps on certain products, with higher caps on drugstore products.

The law extends deadlines for cold-weather energy subsidies and keeps the advertising tax at 0 percent indefinitely from 1 July. Stricter business regulations require anti-drug measures in commercial spaces, with police empowered to temporarily close venues linked to organised crime.

The Orbán government’s 2020 Covid-19 state of emergency ended on 1 June 2022. Under Hungary’s Fundamental Law, the government can declare a state of emergency for 30 days in cases of armed conflict, humanitarian disasters or threats to life and property, with parliamentary approval required for extensions.

If you missed it: This is how PM Orbán’s last 16 years look with the eyes of the EU