Opposition calls on Hungarian govt to help vaccinate those with disadvantages

The opposition Democratic Coalition has called on the government to help disadvantaged people receive vaccination against the coronavirus without delay, the party’s representative for Budapest’s 7th and 6th districts said on Sunday.

Lajos Oláh told a press conference on Facebook that the registration requirement for vaccination posed a difficulty to people living in poverty. Additionally, they have no money for medicine, vitamins and healthy food, often have no access to hygiene and they are generally in worse state of health, he added.

He reiterated a joint opposition call for cancelling the registration requirement for vaccination and added that vaccination points should be set up in disadvantaged areas.

He also called on the government to “finally start working together with local municipalities”.

He added that with the involvement of 7th district mayor Péter Niedermüller, talks have been started with affected organisations to offer help in protection and prevention to those in need.

• Hungarian opposition says registration is a barrier to many who want the vaccine
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At the same time, the opposition also mentioned that the government is using the case of Hungarian soccer coach Zsolt Petry who has been fired by his German team as a result of his comments on same-sex marriage and immigration to distract attention from the “hundreds of thousands of people it has neglected in Hungary”, the co-leader of opposition LMP said on Sunday.

Máté Kanász-Nagy told an online press conference on Facebook that the “unfortunate case” of Petry losing his job abroad was “not an important issue”, yet even Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had commented on it. At the same time, Orbán still refuses to discuss the livelihood of people working in catering, hairdressers, taxi drivers and those working in other services, and the case of teachers who will be forced to return to school before getting full protection from Covid-19, he added.

The government has still not offered expanded wage support and public utilities support, 100 percent sickness benefits and extended jobseekers’ benefits, Kanász-Nagy said.

Read alsoWhat is expected to change in Hungarian COVID measures?

Source: MTI