Hungary border control

Foreign minister opens second Hungary-Romania motorway crossing

new border crossing hungary romania

The foreign ministers of Hungary and Romania on Friday inaugurated the second motorway border crossing between the two countries.

Hungary’s Péter Szijjártó said that the new link was a “shared success”, a basis for building “trust and mutual respect” between the two sides of the border. “On this basis even hard (bilateral) issues could be resolved and closed,” he added.

The new section between Nagykereki and Bors (in Romania) links Hungary’s M4 and Romania’s A3 motorways.

The new border crossing is the twelfth between the two countries, Szijjártó noted. Quality infrastructure is key in fostering neighbourly relations, he said.

The third motorway crossing between Romania and Hungary is planned to open in 2024, between Csenger and Satu Mare (Szatmárnémeti), he said.

Szijjártó noted that Romania is Hungary’s ninth largest trading partner and fourth largest export market. Infrastructure developments will also benefit Hungarians living in Romania, he said.

A high-capacity natural gas interconnector is planned to start operation next year, and high-voltage electric cables will also be connected in the near future, he said.

Romanian Transport Minister Lucian Bode said infrastructure development was a point of focus for the Romanian government.

Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu welcomed “positive events” such as the inauguration in bilateral relations. Aurescu and Szijjártó in May agreed to set up a business chamber and to convene a meeting of the mixed economic committee in the autumn, Aurescu said.

He welcomed Hungary’s decision to allow Romanians to travel across Hungary despite the otherwise stringent coronavirus-related restrictions. People commuting to work across the border may travel too, he added.

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Read alsoForeign minister opens second Hungary-Romania motorway crossing

Hungary V4 Viktor Orbán
Read alsoEU: Hungarian border measures favouring the V4 countries are illegal and discriminatory

Update on restrictions: Hungary allows travel to 40 destinations

budapest airport coronavirus

According to the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from September 3, travelling is allowed to more than 40 countries for Hungarians, but the two weeks of quarantine upon returning remains mandatory along with the restrictions of the destination country.

Napi Turizmus reported that the Ministry communicated the criteria for travelling abroad.

  • Participation in court or authority matters,
  • Business and work travel,
  • International students with duties at foreign universities (exams, courses, etc.),
  • Trading and trafficking between countries,
  • Family events with no other appointment (wedding, funeral, etc.),
  • Taking care of a family member unable to take care of him/herself due to health problems,
  • Sports, cultural, and religious events of the highest significance and importance.

If someone travels with one of the reasons above, that particular destination is no longer in category I (countries where travelling is not recommended) but category II (countries where travelling is allowed with epidemic measures).

The countries are the following:

United States of America
United Kingdom
Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Greece
The Netherlands
Croatia
Ireland
Iceland
Japan
Canada
China
South Korea
Poland
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
Germany
Norway
Italy
Russian Federation
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Switzerland
Sweden
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Vatican City

Countries not featured on the list above are still not recommended destinations. Returning from any country in the world, Hungarian citizens are obligated to spend two weeks in quarantine.

Related topics

Featured image: Budapest Airport

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Read alsoCoronavirus – Travel restrictions key to security, says foreign minister

Hungarian border lockdown results in huge traffic jam, no checks on passengers from Slovakia

Border Hungary enter travel

Already on the first day, the recently announced border measures resulted in massive traffic jams along the Slovakian border – police officers have temporarily stopped checking the registration forms requested to enter Hungary.

The Hungarian government’s recent border protection measures caused a massive traffic jam already in the morning hours on the first day of their introduction: according to Portfolio, border checks in Komárom (and the adjacent Slovakian city of Komárno) resulted in a queue of 1.5 km, which even “reached the roundabout in the city centre”.

As a result, police officers no longer ask for the registration forms, which were initially requested to provide information on the length and destination of visitors’ stay in Hungary.

The complete border lockdown, announced on 28 August, caused a big uproar both within and beyond the Hungarian borders. It allows entry into Hungary only in a few exceptional cases: originally, only Slovakian residents who live in a 30 km radius of the border would be allowed to enter the country for 24 hours,

but today, the entire country enjoys exemption from the ban, after the government made a second announcement that – on certain conditions – residents of all V4 countries are free to enter the territory of Hungary.

The new measures resulted in a massive traffic jam already in the morning hours not only in Komárom/Komárno but also in Esztergom/Štúrovo. According to Portfolio, the traffic jam was also caused by the closure of the border crossing point in Vámosszabadi/Medveďov located near Győr in western Hungary.

As the local Slovakian newspaper Új Szó reports, Hungarian police officers stopped asking for the obligatory registration documents: passengers are only requested to present their IDs and answer a couple of questions.

Coronavirus – Travel restrictions key to security, says foreign minister

coronavirus border control

The recently introduced travel restrictions are key to preserving the security of the Hungarian people and economy, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday.

Szijjártó said in a statement streamed on Facebook that the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has now hit globally and in Europe.

The border closures in Hungary came into effect on September 1 and will be imposed until the end of the month, to be reassessed then, he said.

Lockdowns similar to those imposed in the spring, when Hungarian schools were closed and the economy ground to a halt, would leave the country’s economy and society in dire straits, he said.

Hungary should come out among the “winners” of the post-pandemic world order, Szijjártó said.

To achieve that goal, Hungary aims to draw as many investments as possible, Szijjártó said. Workers living across the borders are therefore allowed to commute to work in Hungary, and foreign business trips within the same company group are exempt from the restrictions, he said.

Hungarian citizens who recovered from Covid-19 over the past months are allowed to enter the country without having to self-quarantine, he said.

Regarding football players, Szijjártó said Hungary was adhering to the European football federation UEFA’s guidelines and requires one negative coronavirus test not older than three days from foreign players entering Hungary for a match. Hungarian players returning from abroad will have to show two tests, he said.

Hungary continues to consult neighbouring countries and is ready to take further steps if necessary, he said.

Read alsoCoronavirus – Registered infections on the rise in Hungary!

EU: Hungarian border measures favouring the V4 countries are illegal and discriminatory

Hungary V4 Viktor Orbán

Following the Hungarian government’s latest announcement exempting the V4 countries from the ban on entering the country, EU commissioner Didier Reynders is asking the leadership to revisit their decision.

On 1 September, Justice commissioner Didier Reynders posted on Twitter concerning the Hungarian government’s latest border protection measures. As published in an article by Portfolio,

the measures, banning all foreigners but the V4 residents from entering Hungary, are discriminatory and not in line with the fundamental principles of EU law.

As we wrote earlier, the Hungarian government have recently reintroduced their border protection measures, banning all foreigners – with a few exceptions – from entering the territory of Hungary as of 1 September. Hungarian citizens arriving from abroad are required to self-isolate for 14 days unless they present two negative tests.

Then on a conference in Bled, Slovenia, three days after the above announcement, the Czech prime minister asked Viktor Orbán “to allow Czech tourists who already have a holiday booked for September to enter Hungary”. Orbán did agree to this,

but since keeping the other two V4 countries (Poland and Slovakia) under the ban “would not have looked good”, the exemption was granted to the residents of these two countries, too.

Visitors coming from these three countries are only asked to present a negative test not older than five days.

As Portfolio writes, the above measures are mostly driven by political arguments rather than aimed at limiting the spread of the pandemic. Reynder is asking the Hungarian prime minister to revisit the actions taken, “recalling the importance of the integrity of the Schengen area and of applying border measures in a non-discriminatory way to all EU citizens and residents”.

Hungary V4 Viktor Orbán
Read alsoV4 citizens allowed into Hungary even after Sept 1 – here are the conditions

Can Hungarians working in Austria bypass the government’s new border protection measures?

border control

Based on non-official information, this may affect tens of thousands of Hungarians working currently in Austria. Interestingly, their number went back to the level before the coronavirus crisis.

According to mfor.hu, the number of Hungarian citizens working in Austria was 98 thousand at the end of July. Based on the data of the Sozialversicherung.at, that is only a couple of thousands less than the absolute maximum of 2019 July, 101,449. As a result, the crisis curve of the Hungarians’ employment in Austria resembles a V meaning that the number of Hungarians working there decreased quickly after the outbreak of the epidemic but increased to the previous level soon after the virus’s spread stopped. 

In the last month,

the number of Hungarians who started to work in Austria was 5,571

while in the case of the Germans that was only 2,200. This number is 2,400 in the case of the Slovaks and 1,200-1,500 in the case of the Romanian, Pole, Bosniak or Turkish employees.

However, the number of those who lost their jobs in March and April was much lower in the countries mentioned above than in Hungary, too. Mfor.hu argues that the trend is understandable since many Hungarians do not live in Austria but just commute to their workplace in the Alpine country.

The big question is how the government’s recently implemented measures concerning the closure of the border to all Hungarians working farther than 30 kilometres from Hungary will affect them. For example, Vienna is 60 kilometres away, where thousands of Hungarians commute every day from the Western cities.

The Eastern-Austrian section of the ORF said that

there will be exceptions, mostly the commuters, those taking part in a business trip and the lorry drivers.

Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) confirmed that information after she talked with the Hungarian foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó. Other ministers of the Austrian regional governments are also in talks with their Hungarian counterparts to find a solution for those working, for example, in the agriculture sector.

Budapest Airport implementing new entry rules

budapest airport coronavirus

Press release – A government decree enters into force at midnight on Tuesday 1 September which only permits foreign citizens to enter Hungary under certain conditions.

From 1 September, all arriving passengers are subject to a document check and medical screening at Budapest Airport. Non-exempted foreign citizens who are not allowed to enter the country can wait in the part of the transit area dedicated for this purpose until departure. Together with the airport authorities, Budapest Airport is prepared to manage the situation, and has introduced the necessary measures.

Medical screening and document checks

As a main rule, based on the government decree effective as of 1 September 2020, the territory of Hungary may be entered in passenger traffic by Hungarian citizens; subject to the nature of their journey, other special provisions and detailed rules pertain to foreign citizens. (Details: Here are all the new rules about how you can enter Hungary from September 1!)

Separate provisions pertain to participants and organizers of sports events and employees of affiliated companies. A separate regulation pertains to entry into Hungary from the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia by Hungarian citizens and the citizens of these countries, details HERE.

In case passengers intend to cross the border at Liszt Ferenc International Airport, the Budapest District XVIII Police Command may grant an exemption from the travel restriction applicable to foreign citizens, in cases warranting special treatment. 

The Airport Police Directorate checks the travel documents of the passengers of all flights at the border crossing point and subjects them to mandatory medical screening (body temperature measurement), with the involvement of Budapest Airport’s contracted medical service provider.

In accordance with the relevant government decree, passengers need to be questioned in detail and their data needs to be recorded prior to entering the country, the document control requires more time than previously. To facilitate the seamlessness of the entry process, Budapest Airport and the Airport Police Directorate ask passengers to complete, before traveling, the new quarantine form to be uploaded onto Budapest Airport’s website on 1 September, and to hand it over to authority personnel during border control.

The airport would like to call attention to the fact that those who need to enter a quarantine pursuant to the regulations may exempt themselves from such quarantine with two negative SARS-CoV-2 test results carried out in Hungary with at least 48 hours difference.

Together with the Airport Police Directorate, Budapest Airport is prepared to implement the relevant border controls. To ensure a seamless process, the document checks will take place at three different locations in Terminal 2.

Officials ask all travelers to monitor the travel information issued by their airline and Budapest Airport’s website for all other relevant information.

Passengers waiting in the transit area

Foreign citizens who are not permitted to enter Hungary must wait in the designated transit area until departure. Budapest Airport provides blankets, unlimited wifi access and, upon request, face masks for such passengers waiting in the transit area.

Budapest Airport expecting the same level of passenger traffic as at the beginning of the summer

Budapest Airport will continue to welcome and launch flights on a continuous basis.

According to the operator’s forecast, the travel restrictions announced by the government and becoming effective from 1 September are expected to have a similar impact on passenger traffic as the measures in force from the middle of March until June.

Numerous airlines have already canceled their flights for the next month since the announcement. The Budapest Airport therefore expect the same level of passenger traffic as seen during the earlier restrictions, which could be fewer than 3000 passengers per day, whilst the airport normally handles more than 50 000 travelers daily in September.

coronavirus budapest_airport
Photo: Budapest Airport

For the safety of passengers and staff, Budapest Airport performs disinfectant cleaning at the airport on a continuous basis. In the interest of maintaining 1.5 meter social distancing, it placed floor stickers and prohibitive stickers on every second seat in the transit area. The wearing of face masks is mandatory for all staff in the passenger circulation areas of Terminal 2. The ventilation system in the building is regularly disinfected, to ensure an appropriate air supply. Fliers have been available at the terminals in five languages since January, providing information on protection against coronavirus. Budapest Airport has placed hand sanitizer dispensers for passengers throughout the building.

coronavirus hospital-hungary
Read alsoCoronavirus in Hungary: One patient dies, registered infections up by 118

Coronavirus in Hungary: One patient dies, registered infections up by 118

coronavirus hospital-hungary

A 74-year-old Covid-19 patient has died, while the number of registered coronavirus infections in Hungary has risen by 118 to 6,257 over the past 24 hours, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Tuesday morning.

The number of fatalities has increased to 616, and 3,821 people have made a recovery.

There are 1,820 active infections and 96 Covid-19 patients are being treated in hospital, seven on ventilators.

Fully 10,124 people are in official home quarantine and 429,942 tests have been carried out.

The site warned Hungarians to observe social distancing guidelines and hygiene regulations.

The government has decided to close borders to foreigners starting today, with certain exceptions, re-introducing border protection measures in force during the first wave of the epidemic.

Under the decision Hungarians returning from abroad will have to self-quarantine for 14 days, or until they produce two negative tests taken two days apart.

Most infections have been registered in Budapest (2,762), followed by Pest County (886) and the counties of Fejér (432), Komárom-Esztergom (336) and Zala (287). Békés County has the fewest infections (26).

Latest count of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide

The following are the latest updates on the COVID-19 global confirmed cases in hardest-hit countries by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University at 0500 GMT, Sept. 1.

Country Confirmed Cases

World 25,484,767

U.S. 6,030,587
Brazil 3,908,272
India 3,691,166
Russia 992,402
Peru 647,166
South Africa 627,041
Colombia 615,094
Mexico 599,560
Spain 462,858

coronavirus hospital-hungary
Read alsoCoronavirus in Hungary: One patient dies, registered infections up by 118

V4 citizens allowed into Hungary even after Sept 1 – here are the conditions

Hungary V4 Viktor Orbán

Czech, Slovak and Polish citizens with negative coronavirus tests will be allowed into Hungary after Sept. 1, if the test results are not older than five days, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a post on Facebook on Monday.

Hungary is banning foreigners from entering the country from Sept. 1, in view of the rising numbers of coronavirus infections.

However,

citizens of the Visegrad Group countries will be allowed into Hungary even after Sept. 1,

if they can show negative coronavirus test results not older than five days, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a post on Facebook on Monday.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had talks in Bled, Slovenia, on Monday, and agreed to exempt from the ban Czech citizens who had already booked their accommodation in Hungary for September, Szijjarto said. The prime ministers have discussed the Hungarian security measures in detail, and the Czech Republic has given guarantees regarding its own security measures, he added.

Later in the day, Slovak and Polish citizens were also included in the exemption,

as the Visegrad countries have cooperated closely in the fight against the coronavirus,

Szijjarto said on Facebook.

Hungarians spending their holidays in Visegrad Group countries will be allowed to forgo quarantine with just one negative test result, Szijjarto said.

Wizz Air changes flights due to new border control measures in Hungary

wizz air new aircraft

As a preparation for the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Hungary is closing its borders after the 1st September for foreigners and will have strict measures in place for any Hungarian citizen who enters from a foreign country.

This decision greatly affects airlines as well, but in order to ensure that all Hungarian citizens could come back from their holidays, Wizz Air will only slightly reduce its number of flights from Budapest and Debrecen between the 1st and 6th September. Then, between the 7th and 30th September, a larger degree of reduction in the number of flights is expected. During this period, only the most popular destinations will have flights available to passengers, the company said.

The company highlighted that passengers who are unable to fly due to travel restrictions while their flight is still operating on a schedule may cancel their tickets and get a refund for a cancellation fee.

According to Világgazdaság, Wizz Air said on Saturday afternoon that affected passengers will be automatically notified of any schedule changes via the email address they used to purchase their tickets directly from the company. Those passengers who have booked a ticket for Wizz Air flights through a travel agency or other online travel platforms should contact the company from which they purchased their ticket.

According to Wizz Air’s announcement, if a flight is cancelled by the company, ticket holders can file for a refund of 120% of the price of the ticket in Wizz Air points, or they can claim the full price of the ticket according to the original method of payment, or choose another flight free of charge (price differences still have to be paid).

These changes are necessary, as the Hungarian government, in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, has announced that it would close the country’s borders from the 1st September. Non-Hungarian citizens are not allowed to enter the country, while Hungarian citizens returning from abroad must self-quarantine for 14 days or until they can present two negative coronavirus tests. These regulations will be in effect for at least one month.

The airline encourages passengers to find out about their travel restrictions and whether they could enter the country they want to travel to before purchasing any tickets. They also pointed out that border control measures to individual countries may change between the time of purchase and the date of travel, the risk of which should be borne by passengers.

Read alsoEverything you need to know about the current regulations in Hungary

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Read alsoDo you want a negative COVID test? Swindlers are already in the business

Here are all the new rules about how you can enter Hungary from September 1!

Border Hungary enter travel

A decree issued by the prime minister banning entry to Hungary by foreign nationals, with some exceptions, has been published in the official gazette Magyar Kozlony. The planned ban, taking effect on Sept. 1 to contain the spread of the coronavirus, was announced on Friday.

Exceptions to the ban are made for foreigners on official business involving state organisations, those certified to receive health care, students with a certification from an educational institution, lorry drivers returning home, visitors taking part in family events such as weddings, and participants of international sporting, cultural or church events.

Foreigners whose applications for entry are approved must go into a mandatory 14-day quarantine

which may be lifted only after two negative Covid-19 tests taken at least 48 hours apart.

According to 24.hu, Hungary will organize the Super Cup final in Budapest which many see as a test round of organising international matches in front of fans. Related to the event, the government is expected to publish a new decree.

The decree allows for the unrestricted entry by foreign executives or employees of Hungarian companies as well as of foreign companies registered in some designated countries.

A separate decree issued by the interior minister specifies those designated countries as “any country”.

Foreign commuters residing no more than 30km from the Hungarian border are allowed entry into the country for periods of no more than 24 hours.

Foreign travellers in

transit are also allowed entry into the country if they can certify their destinations and reasons for travel.

They must remain on designated travel routes and must leave the country within 24 hours.

The decree stipulates that Hungarians returning from abroad must also go into a mandatory 14-day quarantine. The quarantine may be lifted only after the arrival produces two negative Covid-19 tests taken at least 48 hours apart.

Everything you need to know about the current regulations in Hungary

Just as in Europe, the number of coronavirus infections has started to rise again in Hungary, too. The statistics seem to resemble those around the end of March and April this year. As the number of new daily infections has reached 292 in Hungary over the past 24 hours, the total number of infected people in Hungary is now 5,961, from which only 1,588 are currently active infections. Nevertheless, due to the worsening statistics, the Hungarian government has decided to reintroduce the border control regulations that were in effect during the first wave of the epidemic in order to protect the health of the country’s citizens.

Gergely Gulyás informed people at a press conference on Friday in Budapest about the decisions of the government and how they will take effect:

Starting from September 1, 2020, foreign citizens are not allowed to enter the country, apart from some exceptions.

For the reopening of schools to go undisturbed and to protect the general health of the public, the Hungarian borders will be closed to almost all. According to Infostart, the minister said at the press conference that most infections in Hungary are linked to foreign cases and trips or holidays. The government thinks that by closing the borders, they might be able to control and mitigate the spreading of the virus in the country.

The exceptions are also the same as they were during the first wave. They include military convoys, business travels between joint ventures, and diplomatic meetings.

Border crossing will be allowed only during limited hours, but travel via humanitarian corridors will be possible.

According to Cyberpress, there may be further exceptions for those who are working outside the Hungarian borders within 30 kilometres and have official documentation from their workplace. Marital relationships between a Hungarian and a foreign citizen will also be an exception, and the Hungarian National Police Headquarters can declare exceptions on individual cases through proper request.

The former colour coding system is practically out of effect as the only green country is Hungary while all other countries are red. This means that those

Hungarian citizens who enter Hungary from any foreign country have to be self-quarantined for 14 days or produce two negative tests two days apart.

Gergely Gulyás said that Hungary is testing according to the suggestions of WHO and have conducted 417,890 tests so far. He also added that only those tests can be accepted that were conducted in Hungary. Those who are tested as part of contact tracing do not have to pay for the coronavirus tests as the Hungarian government will finance them; however, if a Hungarian left and came back from a foreign country on their own volition, they will have to pay for the tests themselves.

Foreign students studying in Hungary will have to present negative coronavirus test results in order to be able to establish a student status in higher education.

Although schools are reopening and the government would like them to be able to operate as normal, there will be a possibility to assess every case individually and to close any establishment and conduct distance education as they did last semester. School opening ceremonies are not encouraged, and school trips should be planned within Hungary for the safety of the children.

Regarding the hosting of the UEFA Super Cup, Gergely Gulyás highlighted that there have been no decisions made just yet. According to the current plan, UEFA will allow 3,000 tickets per team, and the spectators will only be able to land at the airport if they have two negative test results. They will be taken directly to the stadium and back after the match while monitoring their body temperature.

Previous regulations are still in effect, meaning that you have to wear a mask or equivalent in most closed spaces (stores, public transportations) and that there should not be any event that involves over 500 people.

The new regulations to prevent the second wave will take effect on September 1, 2020, and will be in effect for a month, or until extended. There have also been talks about restoring other regulations such as the limited shopping hours of people over 65, but according to the government, the Hungarian healthcare is now prepared, and they have 8,000 hospital beds available if necessary. The government will also send 50 ventilators to Transcarpathia to aid them in fighting the epidemic.

Read alsoCoronavirus – Hungary still handles the epidemic the best way in the EU

Read alsoEverything you need to know about the current regulations in Hungary

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Read alsoCoronavirus – Orbán reviews border protection measures with operative board

Coronavirus – Orbán reviews border protection measures with operative board

orbán discusses borders

The border control action group within the national board coordinating efforts against the coronavirus pandemic reviewed technical details of newly introduced “strict border protection measures”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Facebook on Saturday morning.

Orbán warned that reining in the second wave of the epidemic called for “serious measures” in Hungary, adding that “if we cooperate as we did during the first wave, we will be able to stop the second,” which is “knocking on the door”.

The prime minister said that the measures were primarily aimed at preventing the virus from being imported from other countries, and added that “we are still in time”.

For that matter, Zoltán Kovács, state secretary for international communications, has tested negative for novel coronavirus for the second time, he said on Facebook on Saturday.

Kovács had attended a social event which was also attended by ruling Fidesz’s communications chief Istvan Hollik, who later tested positive.

With two negative test results the state secretary has been released from home quarantine.

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Read alsoHungary to revive border protection measures on Sept 1 – UPDATE

Hungary to revive border protection measures on Sept 1 – UPDATE

border control

The Hungarian government has decided to re-introduce the border protection measures in force during the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic, Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, told a press conference on Friday.

Due to the development of the coronavirus situation, the government has decided to return to the border protection rules applied during the first wave of the epidemic, Gulyás announced at a press conference held on Friday in Budapest.

As a result, according to the rule of thumb, from 1 September, foreign nationals will not be allowed to enter the territory of Hungary, except in justified circumstances, subject to the observance of the relevant safety regulations.

At the same time, Hungarians returning from abroad will be required to retire to quarantine for 14 days, or until they are able to present two negative tests with forty-eight hours between the two tests, he said, indicating that the majority of infections originate from abroad.

The virus situation poses a threat to the economy, jobs and the start of the school year alike, Mr Gulyás stressed, highlighting that we must all at once guarantee the safety of the elderly who are most at risk, children who are about to start school and the smooth operation of the economy, he stressed.

The Minister said in Europe the second wave of the epidemic has started, and infection rates resemble the end of March and April in many respects. In Hungary, too, the number of infections has risen; however, the country is still doing better than most, he added.

Mr Gulyás highlighted that exceptions are – similar to the previous phase of infections – military convoys and business travel between related undertakings.

Border crossing will be allowed during limited hours, and travel via humanitarian corridors will be guaranteed also in the future, in accordance with the rules in effect earlier.

Specific, stringent rules will apply to sporting events, while diplomatic and official travel will also be allowed. In cases deserving special consideration, the national police chief will have the authority to grant exemption, the Minister explained.

Further details and preparations for the new arrangements will be discussed at the meeting of the border protection task force to be held at 7.00 a.m. on Saturday which will be attended by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in addition to the Defence Minister and the Interior Minister.

He said they concluded that as the introduction of the virus into the country poses the greatest threat at this time, if the borders are sealed and the relevant regulations are observed in Hungary, including the wearing of face masks, social distancing and thorough hand-washing, we will be able to keep the virus under control.

This is in all our best interests, with special regard to the fact that school is starting on 1 September, and it is to be hoped that the Hungarian economy, too, will be able to continue to function in normal circumstances.

The government also decided to send 50 ventilators to Transcarpathia; as a result, all health care institutions in Transcarpathia will have access to such equipment, he stated.

Regarding himself, Mr Gulyás said after two negative tests – whose cost he himself covered – based on the Chief Medical Officer’s decision, he attended the Friday cabinet meeting. In answer to the question as to whether he was in any way isolated at the cabinet meeting, he said there is no such thing as ‘a dunce’s seat’; before the meeting, the Prime Minister asked him if he was well. Mr Orbán does not give his ministers life coaching advice, he said in answer to the question as to whether the Prime Minister took him to task over attending such a high-attendance event.

He also said they do not keep a record of how many government-party Members of Parliament, ministers or state secretaries have been quarantined. If a minister or state secretary is unable to work, it is only right for them to let members of the public know; this is why he himself did so, he said.

In answer to a question about the start of the school year, the Minister said the Ministry of Human Capacities released a set of recommendations; they do not ban, but likewise do not recommend the organisation of large school year opening ceremonies.

They are working hard to ensure that schools should not be shut down; the cabinet also decided that closures will be possible on the basis of the decisions of the relevant authorities, adopted separately with respect to each institution.

He pointed out that while digital education had passed the test unexpectedly well, it is in everyone’s best interests that schools should operate in the normal mode.

Regarding school trips postponed to the autumn, he said school trips can be organised within Hungary, in each case on the basis of thorough deliberation.

They continue to encourage domestic tourism; they have adopted such stringent measures amounting to a full border closure in order for life to proceed within the normal boundaries within the boundaries of the country, he pointed out.

As to whether the re-introduction of a shopping time slot reserved for those over 65 is on the agenda, he said for the time being it is not; the rules now adopted will remain in effect for a month.

The data of the national consultation will be evaluated by mid-September, and this will allow the government to adopt new decisions, the Minister indicated.

In answer to another question, he confirmed that

from 1 August the government will not pay for the cost of coronavirus tests, and this rule will continue to remain in effect.

If anyone travels abroad out of their own free will, taxpayers should not be required to pay for their tests.

If a person is quarantined due to contact tracing and they are able to present two negative tests with two days between the tests, they can then be released from quarantine. In this case, the state will continue to cover the test costs, he indicated.

It is possible to leave the country; however, very stringent rules will apply to returning home, he laid down.

As regards colour codes, he pointed out that there are two colour codes: Hungary green and all other countries red.

Regarding the hosting of the UEFA Super Cup, he said there is no approved timetable yet; there is no way of knowing what the epidemic situation will be like in four weeks’ time, how many spectators will be allowed to view the match and under what circumstances. UEFA will provide 3,000 tickets to the supporters of the two foreign teams, each. If they are able to organise the match according to the current plans, persons with two negative tests will be allowed to land at the airport. From the airport, they will be taken directly to the stadium, and from there back to the airport. The body temperature of those arriving will also be checked. They are also consulting with UEFA, he explained.

Regarding the fact that, at the same time, Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller does not recommend the organisation of the annual festive book week, Mr Gulyás said it is best to exercise maximum caution.

The Minister confirmed in answer to a further question that this year’s meeting in Kötcse at the beginning of September will be cancelled.

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Read alsoCoronavirus – Registered infections up by 132 in Hungary

Border controls most effective way of keeping coronavirus out, says PM advisor

orbán test airport

Imposing border controls is the most effective way to prevent the import of the novel coronavirus from abroad, the prime minister’s chief security advisor said late on Friday.

The epidemic is worsening across Europe, including countries close to Hungary and this forces the government to tighten border restrictions from September, György Bakondi told public news channel M1.

These measures will not be new to the public, he said, noting that similar restrictions were imposed during the height of the epidemic in the spring.

“The important thing is for Hungarians to be aware that such a plan is in the works and for them to arrange their trips in a way that they comply with tightened border controls which could create difficult situations when one is leaving or entering the country,” Bakondi said.

The government will do everything in its power to keep the virus outside the country and prevent its import from abroad either by Hungarians or foreigners, he added.

To this end, border controls, screenings and quarantine rules must be tightened and the government must review its classification of countries according to the prevalence of Covid-19, Bakondi said.

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Read alsoOrbán: Further restrictions needed to defend against pandemic

Breaking news! Stricter travel restrictions come from September in Hungary

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Hungary’s government will introduce stricter rules on travelling abroad starting next month, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said on Wednesday.

The operative board coordinating Hungary’s response to the novel coronavirus epidemic will put forward its proposal on the new rules at next week’s cabinet meeting, Gergely Gulyás told a regular press briefing.

Gulyás advised Hungarians against booking trips abroad in September, particularly to southern countries.

He said the reopening of schools was crucial for keeping the country running like normal, adding that this required keeping the number of Hungary’s Covid-19 cases under control.

The pandemic is getting worse in most European countries and stagnating in only a handful of them,

Gulyás said, adding that Hungary was just a few weeks behind the trends seen in other parts of the continent. This, he said, meant that the government was not in a position to relax travel restrictions.

The PM’s Office chief also said that Hungary has updated Norway’s coronavirus classification from “yellow” to “green”, saying that the country’s case numbers were among the lowest in Europe.

Hungarian government hopes to match last year’s employment figures

Hungary’s government hopes to match last year’s employment figures throughout the year, he said..

Gergely Gulyás told a regular press briefing that each European Union member country saw economic recession in the first half of this year but the drop in Hungary was below the European average and this trend is expected to strengthen in the future.

Some 4,460,000 Hungarians held jobs in July, which was 2,600 more than in January but a few tens of thousands behind last July’s figure, he said.

At the same time, the number of registered jobseekers has been decreasing since June 15, he added.

The government has already transferred 1,756 billion forints (EUR 5.1bn) to boost the economy, a measure that has obviously contributed to the “remarkable” employment figures.

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Read alsoTwo Hungarians fined in Germany for 2,000 EUR because they did not wear face masks

Police chief: Migration pressure growing on Hungary-Serbia border

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Migration pressure has grown significantly on the Hungarian-Serbian border after a lull in the spring due to the coronavirus epidemic, Zsolt Halmosi, deputy head of the Hungarian police, said on Thursday.

Halmosi told a press conference in Röszke, a border town in southern Hungary, that half of all migrants detained on the European Union’s external borders in recent months have been apprehended on the stretch separating Hungary and Serbia.

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Read alsoForeign national gets suspended jail term for attempting to bribe border official

This year, some 18,000 persons tried crossing illegally the Serbian-Hungarian border, and the number of people smugglers arrested this year has grown to 207, the highest since the 2015 migration crisis, he said.

Border patrols discovered 16 tunnels, complete or incomplete, under the border fence this year, Halmosi said.

In response, the authorities are reinforcing the fence’s outer perimeter and building a mesh barrier underground, he said.

Hungary has closed its transit zones in compliance with the ruling of the European Court of Justice, Halmosi noted. The 330 migrants housed there had been transferred to open centres, he said, noting that “the majority did not wait for the asylum procedure to be concluded”. At present, only 16 migrants are still housed at the open facility, he said.

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Read alsoPolice chief: Migration pressure growing on Hungary-Serbia border

Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Müller told the same press conference that uncontrolled migration poses “an extreme danger” to Hungary’s “excellent” public health and epidemiological status. Most of the migrants’ countries of origin are classified as “red”, or high-risk regarding the coronavirus epidemic, she said. Even Hungarian entrants from those countries are carefully monitored, she noted. The entry of illegal migrants may lead to hotspots of the epidemic cropping up in Hungary, she said.

Ukraine decision to classify Hungary as high risk ‘unfounded’, says Transcarpathian association

The decision by Ukrainian health authorities to classify Hungary as a “red” country in terms of the severity of the coronavirus risk is “professionally unfounded and ill-considered”, the board of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (KMKSZ) said on Monday.

In a statement, KMKSZ said that in addition to Hungary, Ukraine has also classified Slovakia and Poland as “red”, noting that all three countries are regarded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other prestigious health organisations as having more favourable epidemiological statistics than Ukraine.

The decision to move Hungary into the high-risk category will put hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens at a disadvantage, KMKSZ said, adding that it could also harm relations between the two countries’ border regions and cause significant economic losses for Ukraine.

KMKSZ called on the Ukrainian authorities to revisit their decision and consider internationally accepted factors when gauging the risk of coronavirus infection in the various countries.

“We consider the adherence to the principle of reciprocity important even in this transitional period,” KMKSZ said, noting that Hungary and Ukraine have agreed to allow Hungarian and Ukrainian citizens living within a 30km radius of the border to commute to each other’s countries without having to undergo quarantine.

The Ukrainian government updated its classification of several countries on Aug. 1, moving Hungary, among others, from the “green” to the “red” category.

Moving forward Ukraine will assign a “green” classification only to countries that have not experienced a rise of over 30 percent in the number of registered coronavirus cases and ones where the number of infections per 100,000 people is not higher than in Ukraine.