Schengen

European Commission unveils new EU migration pact – Orbán cabinet reaction

migration-pact-EU

The European Commission on Wednesday launched a fresh bid to improve the way the burden of migration is shared among member states of the European Union (EU) and the mechanism for the return of rejected asylum seekers.

“Migration is complex… We want to live up to our values and at the same time face the challenges of a globalized world,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, acknowledging that the old system Europe used to deal with migration “no longer works.”

“It is not a question whether member states should support with solidarity and contributions, but how they should do it,” she said when announcing the commission’s Package on Migration and Asylum.

“Together we have to show that Europe manages migration in a humane and effective way,” she said, adding that the new package offers “the right balance between solidarity and responsibility.”

The new pact has been brought forward as Italy, Greece and Malta plead for help from the EU to share the burden of migration. It also comes after a fire ripped through an overcrowded camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, leaving many migrants homeless.

The pact proposes improved cooperation between countries of destination and countries of origin and transit, ensuring effective procedures, successful integration of refugees and return of those who have no right to stay.

European Commission Vice-President for Promoting the European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said

the incident in Greece was “a stark reminder that the clock has run out on how long we can live in a house half-built.”

“The pact provides the missing pieces of the puzzle for a comprehensive approach to migration,” he said. “No one member state experiences migration in the same way and the different and unique challenges faced by all deserve to be recognized, acknowledged and addressed.”

Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, said the new set of proposals will mean “clear, fair and faster border procedures, so that people do not have to wait in limbo.” They will also enhance efforts to find “fast returns, more legal pathways and strong actions to fight human smugglers.”

The proposals will now be examined by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.

Statement: The position of the Hungarian Government is unchanged

Since 2015, the stance of the Hungarian Government on migration has been clear and unchanged. We have presented this stance and our proposals on several occasions.
We believe that the European Union and its member states must cooperate in keeping the looming migration pressure outside our borders. To this end, we should form alliances with countries of origin, so that they are able to provide proper living standards and ensure that their people do not have to leave their homelands. Instead of importing the trouble to Europe, we must bring help to where it is needed.

We believe that Europe’s borders must be protected:

External hotspots will have to be established to process asylum claims; we must ensure that the external borders of the EU and the Schengen Area remain perfectly sealed along all sections.

Our goal is to see EU member states support each other in achieving the tasks above. While Hungary does not support obligatory distribution, it does defend joint borders, and we expect to receive the same amount of support as other Schengen states protecting those external borders.

We would like to remind everyone that since the 2015 migration crisis, the Hungarian Government has spent more than 1 billion euros on protecting the borders of Hungary and the European Union, without a single cent of contribution from Brussels.

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Read alsoAre illegal migrants still trying to get into Hungary? Two more tunnels discovered – video

EU freedom of movement ends under UK’s new immigration rules

Brexit, passport, borders

The biggest change for a generation in Britain’s immigration system will see the end of freedom of movement for millions of European Union nationals, British Home Secretary Priti Patel announced Monday.

From Jan. 1, 2021, when the new rules come into effect, residents of the EU’s 27 member states will be treated equally to arrivals from the rest of the world. But EU citizens who started living in Britain by Dec. 31, 2020 will still be able to apply to settle in Britain under the EU settlement scheme until 30 June 2021. More than 3.7 million EU citizens have so far made applications to settle in Britain.

Patel unveiled a 130-page document outlining new immigration rules following the country’s departure from the EU after almost 50 years of membership. It will be centered around a points system to determine who will be allowed into Britain, and who will be refused access.

A “NEW FAIRER” SYSTEM

In its immigration document, the Home Office said the new points-based system will be a fair system, treating people from every part of the world equally.

“The British people voted to take back control of our borders and introduce a new points-based immigration system. Now we have left the EU, we are free to unleash this country’s full potential and implement the changes we need to restore trust in the immigration system and deliver a new fairer, firmer, skills-led system from 1 January 2021,”

Patel said.

People applying to work in Britain will also need a level of English language to support integration, ensuring migrants can live and be part of the wider community in Britain.

In a written statement to the House of Commons, Patel said: “At a time where an increased number of people across the UK are looking for work, the new points-based system will encourage employers to invest in the domestic UK workforce, rather than simply relying on labor from abroad.”

“We are also making necessary changes, so it is simpler for employers to attract the best and brightest from around the world to come to the UK to complement the skills we already have.”

A new graduate route will allow international students to stay in Britain once they have completed their studies for two years for students gaining a masters’ degree, and three years for students who have completed a PhD degree.

A global talent scheme will also allow scientists and researchers to head to Britain without a job offer.

CARE WORKERS EXCLUDED

Controversially, the new rules will exclude thousands of…

Hungary will open a consular office in Malaga, says FM Szijjártó in Madrid

madrid szijjártó

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó had talks with Arancha Gonzalez Laya, his Spanish counterpart, in Madrid on Wednesday.

At a joint press conference after the talks, Szijjártó said that another wave of migration could pose serious health and economic risks, and argued that the coronavirus epidemic has hit countries with poor economies, and its spread could lead to increased illegal migration.

Rooted in their geographical location,

Hungary and Spain have different positions on migration, however, there are links as well,

Szijjártó said, adding, for example, that both countries are committed to fighting humans smuggling rings.

Hungary and Spain see eye to eye concerning the principle of delivering assistance where problems arise, and will launch a shared water management project in Morocco to improve supplies for local residents, he said.

Concerning the pandemic in Europe, Szijjártó said that

“Europe must avoid getting in such a vulnerable position as in recent months, therefore some strategic capacities must be developed even if they may seem redundant in ‘peace’ times”.

Spain is Hungary’s 15th greatest trading partner, while 200 Spanish firms employ over 5,000 people in Hungary, Szijjártó said, but added that bilateral ties could offer further opportunities for cooperation.

Hungary will open a consular office in Malaga, Szijjártó announced.

Spanish FM calls for EU criteria for border reopening

Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Arancha Gonzalez Laya on Wednesday asked for agreement within the European Union (EU) on criteria to be applied to arrivals from outside the region to stop imported COVID-19 cases, Xinhua reports.

Spain reopened its borders to travelers from the EU and the Schengen area on June 21, and plans to gradually open them to visitors from outside the region from July 1.

In a television interview with Spanish TV network RTVE on Wednesday, Gonzalez Laya said

Spain was looking to establish “the criteria” that the entire region would use to allow the entry of third-country nationals.

She commented that the EU would have to be “extremely careful” with the arrival of “people from certain countries in the Americas where the coronavirus pandemic has still not reached its peak of infections.”

The 27 countries in the EU are looking to fix epidemiological standards to “start gradually opening” the region’s border, said the minister, adding that in some countries, where the situation with COVID-19 was better than in Europe, citizens would be able to travel, while others would have to wait.

She also explained that the arrival protocols currently being used in Spanish airports are the same as in other major European airports, such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Paris, but admitted that it is impossible to completely rule out the risk of imported cases of COVID-19.

murder crime Hungarian ninja
Read alsoThe Hungarian “ninja” received two life sentences – horrific details below

Hungary, Romania to lift quarantine requirement for each other’s citizens

From Wednesday, Hungarian and Romanian nationals will be allowed to cross each other’s borders without being required to go into quarantine, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Facebook.

The ethnic Hungarian RMDSZ party has been urging the Hungarian government to reach a deal with Bucharest on lifting the requirement for Hungarians and Romanians to undergo quarantine after crossing each other’s borders,

Szijjártó said in a video message.

Talks on the matter were speeded up and an agreement was reached, the minister said.

He thanked RMDSZ and its leader, Hunor Kelemen, for keeping the issue on the agenda.

Baile Tusnad summer university set to be cancelled amid restrictions

The Bálványos Summer University and Student Camp in Baile Tusnad (Tusnádfürdő), in central Romania, looks set to be cancelled this year amid the situation around the novel coronavirus epidemic,

according to reports by commercial HírTV.

The event, which traditionally features a keynote address by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, is next expected to be organised in 2021, HírTV’s website said.

The event provides a forum for ethnic Hungarians to discuss political, economic, social and cultural issues with each other as well as the many visitors from the Carpathian Basin, the Hungarian government and neighbouring countries.

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Read alsoDid this Hungarian man leave Romania because of police harassment?

Germany to lift border controls

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German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced on Wednesday that Germany would lift border controls — implemented three months ago after the coronavirus pandemic outbreak — on June 15.

Controls along Germany’s land borders with Switzerland, France, Austria, and Denmark will be lifted Monday, Seehofer said, adding that the government would reconsider its plans if the COVID-19 situation worsens.

From June 16, EU citizens and Swiss nationals can enter Germany again unhindered, without controls and without quarantine regulations, according to the federal government’s decision.

The decision is with a few exceptions. For example, controls for foreigners arriving by plane from Spain will not end until June 21.

Since mid-March, citizens and residents of other EU member states were only permitted to travel into Germany if they met specific requirements, such as traveling for work.

Quarantine orders will also largely be lifted, although each of Germany’s 16 states can determine its own quarantine regulations.

Austria set to reopen to travel from 31 countries

Austrian flag

Austria will reopen to travel from 31 countries including Italy and Greece from June 16 after three months of massive travel restrictions, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg announced on Wednesday.

For 31 countries, entry restrictions should be lifted from Tuesday midnight, June 16, said Schallenberg at a press conference held here on Wednesday.

This will include all European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, with four major exceptions of Sweden, Britain, Spain and Portugal.

The minister noted that the border with Spain should open again on July 1, as Spain itself has announced that it will keep its borders closed until the end of June. Sweden, Britain and Portugal are exempt from the cancellation of travel restrictions until further notice.

The border with Italy will be fully opened.

However, a partial travel warning applies to the northern Italian region of Lombardy, which is “virologically necessary,” according to Health Minister Rudolf Anschober.

He praised Italy for containing the epidemic, saying

“This is not a matter to be taken for granted. This is the result of very hard work.”

Rules on travel of non-Hungarian citizens remain in place!

border Hungary flag EU

Border controls were lifted on all of Hungary’s Schengen borders effective Monday but general travel rules applying to non-Hungarian citizens remain in place, the spokesman for the operative board coordinating Hungary’s response to the novel coronavirus epidemic said on Wednesday.

Róbert Kiss told an online press conference that

special rules apply to Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Austrian, Slovenian and German citizens, on international humanitarian transit and international freight transport to Hungary.

Police will continue checks within Hungary’s administrative area in line with the authorisation granted by the legal regulations in force, he added.

He also said that

the operative board had decided to set up a deployment unit for the state of health security in the second phase of protection against the epidemic.

This unit will be tasked with taking necessary on-site action in case a novel coronavirus infection is reported in an institution or area, he added.

The Chief Medical Officer told the same press conference that the number of active infections was considerably and continually decreasing.

The number of recovered patients is now twice the number of active infections, she added.

In response to a question concerning a 37-year-old man who had died from the virus even though he had no underlying illness, she said in some rare cases the infection develops extremely fast. The government office is carrying out an investigation and all contacts of the man are being closely monitored, she added.

Germany lifts travel warning for European countries from June 15

germany-flag berlin

Germany’s travel warnings for member states of the European Union (EU), Schengen associated states as well as for Britain would be lifted on June 15 and be replaced by individual travel advice, Foreign Office announced on Wednesday.

As entry restrictions by Norway and Spain would apply beyond June 15, the lifting of Germany’s travel warning for these two countries was delayed and would be adjusted later, according to German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

There had been “intensive talks” with Germany’s European partners in recent weeks, Maas said after a government meeting on Wednesday.

Across Europe, lockdown measures were being gradually lifted and hotels and restaurants were reopening.

In many places, the spread of COVID-19 was under control, Maas said, adding that this “positive development” had been taken into account. The decision to lift travel warnings to European countries would “awake great hopes and expectations.”

However, Maas stressed that

travel warnings for certain countries or regions could be reactivated again.

If more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within one week were recorded in a certain country or region, Germany’s Foreign Office would reevaluate the situation.

An emergency mechanism, which was reached between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany‘s states, uses the same benchmark for deciding whether the partial easing of COVID-19 restrictions has to be reverted.

“We must not lull ourselves into a false sense of security,” stressed Maas. “The pandemic is far from over and together we must prevent a resumption of tourism from leading to a second wave in Germany and elsewhere.”

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Read alsoEuropean airlines start to resume services as countries try to revive tourism

Czech Republic mulls “mini-Schengen” with Austria, Slovakia set for mid-June

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The Czech Republic will open its borders to Austria and Slovakia by mid-June, according to the Czech Foreign Ministry.

“We are returning to normal and this also applies to tourism. Our goal is to open the borders between the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovakia by mid-June, moreover, without the need to submit negative tests or quarantine,”

Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek said in a press release on Tuesday.

The foreign minister described the model as a “mini-Schengen” zone without the need for inspections, tests, or quarantines.

On the same day, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said he would like to see the country’s borders all open on June 15.

The prime minister made the remark after a conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel following a virtual meeting of the Visegrad Group (V4) prime ministers.
According to Babis,

Poland has not set its sights on the same goal as the rest of the neighboring states.

However, Petricek said he believes it could happen at the end of June at the latest.

The ministry said that negotiations with Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Croatia concerning travel from the Czech Republic will take place by the end of the week.

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Read alsoCzech Republic mulls “mini-Schengen” with Austria, Slovakia set for mid-June

11 European countries make arrangements for reopening of borders!

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Foreign ministers from 11 European countries agreed on Monday the terms for the reopening of borders and restoring the freedom of movement of European citizens, according to a joint declaration released by the Portuguese Diplomatic portal.

Gathered by videoconference, representatives from Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia concerted to restore “freedom of movement and circulation in the European Union,” said the declaration.

Based on the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination, the ministers agreed that, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Europe needs to go further.

The meeting defined the “survey of border control measures, resumption of transport and connectivity services, in addition to the progressive restart of tourism services and health protocols in hotel establishments,” said the declaration.

The opening will be done in stages, coordinated between EU member states and gradual to “avoid the risk that a rise in infections will get out of control,” it added.

It said that countries had combined to work on a “common understanding of health standards and procedures in a progressive manner.”

“We urge the tourism industry and related private actors to take advantage of the coming weeks to take appropriate preventive measures so that they can protect travelers as soon as freedom of movement and travel is restored,” it said.

“Even though the situation regarding the pandemic is different in each country, our goal is to coordinate in order to restore freedom of movement to travel safely,” it added.

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Read also11 European countries make arrangements for reopening of borders!

Coronavirus in Hungary – New rules for entry of guest workers heading for Western Europe

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Ukrainian, Romanian and Serbian guest workers heading for Western Europe are only being allowed to enter the territory of Hungary during a fixed period of four hours.

Further conditions are that they do not display symptoms of coronavirus infection, verify that they meet the Schengen entry requirements, and have proof that their entry into the country of destination is guaranteed, a staff member of the duty centre of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic said at an online press conference held on Tuesday.

Róbert Kiss said

guest workers have four hours to enter the country at Röszke, Nagylak and Záhony.

Upon entry, yellow warning stickers are displayed on their vehicles in which they are only allowed to travel on the designated transit routes.

A fixed time slot has also been determined for the exit of guest workers.

Guest workers entering the territory of Hungary are given written information about the fixed time slots, but their attention is also drawn to the new regulations verbally. The new border traffic control system serves to ensure that guest workers heading for Western Europe should leave the country within the shortest possible time, he added.

As we wrote yesterday, Austria and Hungary would open a new border crossing, details here.

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Read alsoCoronavirus in Hungary – New rules for entry of guest workers heading for Western Europe

EU to prolong inbound travel restrictions until mid-May

coronavirus border police

While some European countries are planning to loosen their restriction rules in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union (EU) on Wednesday proposed prolonging travel restriction at its external borders.

The European Commission said in a statement that it invited Schengen Member States and Schengen Associated States to prolong the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU until May 15.

The ongoing temporary 30-day restriction was introduced in mid-March when the bloc convened a video summit of the heads of the state on March 17, four days after the World Health Organization identified Europe as the epicenter of the pandemic.

Since then, Europe has witnessed a rapid increase in infections. Many of the EU member states have declared state of emergency and issued orders for social distancing, which have helped flatten the curve in some hard hit countries like Italy and Spain.

The experience of the countries exposed to the pandemic “shows the measures applied to fight the spread of the virus require more than 30 days to be effective,” the statement noted.

“While we can see encouraging first results, prolonging the travel restriction is necessary to continue reducing the risks of the disease spreading further. We should not yet let the door open whilst we are securing our house,” said Margaritis Schinas, European Commission Vice-President for Promoting European Way of Life.

Read latest news on Coronavirus HERE!

EU proposes travel restriction as escalation seen in both virus cases, measures

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that she had proposed a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union (EU), as escalations have been seen in both COVID-19 cases and containment measures.

“The restriction should be in place for an initial period of 30 days, which can be prolonged as necessary,” said von der Leyen.

The proposal is expected to be discussed by leaders of EU member states during a video conference on Tuesday.

BORDER CLOSURE

Following the news from the EU, the French presidency announced on Monday that measures will be announced in the coming hours on the external borders of the EU.
The decision on the EU’s external borders is pending, but more European countries have joined the list of countries closing their borders to all but essential travel.

Germany has partly closed its borders with France, Austria, and Switzerland on Monday morning.

And more and more countries moved to close their borders in the hope of cutting off the cross-border transmission of the virus.

Finland, Hungary, Portugal, Switzerland became the latest countries to reintroduce measures on internal borders.

Movement restrictions, schools closure, suspension of businesses are being taken across Europe.

WAR-LIKE CRISIS

These measures are extraordinary at a time when Europe has been described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic last Friday.

Since then, escalations have been seen in both the coronavirus cases and social distancing measures across the continent.

“We are at war,”

said French President Emmanuel Macron. He repeated the phrase several times in his televised address to the nation on Monday evening.

The president urged all citizens to stay home and reduce movement for at least 15 days to help the country battle the virus.

France’s neighbor Belgium, a country with a population of some 11 million, has seen its coronavirus infection cases topping 1,000, with five deaths but only one recovery.

“Our country is facing an unprecedented and crucial health crisis,” said King Philippe of Belgium in a speech Monday evening.

After a discussion with von der Leyen on coronavirus situation, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa welcomed the European Union proposal on the bloc’s external border. “Finally good news from Brussels,” he wrote on Twitter.

Even more countries still remained their internal border open, states of emergency or extraordinary have been declared by some to tackle the disease. Others are preparing for similar policies.

TEST, TEST, TEST

As European countries are grappling with the epidemic, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday that the escalation in testing, isolation and contact tracing is not urgent enough. These measures are the backbone of the COVID-19 response, said Tedros.

According to the WHO chief, the most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of COVID-19 transmission.

“You cannot fight a fire blindfolded and we cannot stop this pandemic if we don’t know who is infected,” he said, calling for every suspected case testing.

“We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test. Test every suspected #COVID19 case,” the WHO said in tweet.

Some European countries, such as France, have admitted the possible underestimate of the epidemic.

France has confirmed 6,633 coronavirus infection cases and 148 deaths by Monday evening. These figures represent 1,210 new cases of infection and 21 additional deaths in one day.

However, these data “underestimate the real number” due to the difficulty of identification and biological confirmation of all COVID-19 cases and the fact that only part of the sick is now tested, said the country’s Health Ministry.

To test more suspected cases, Lithuanian Ministry of Health decided to open drive-through COVID-19 mobile testing points in its 10 municipalities starting on Monday.

And turning a park in Dublin into a drive-through testing center is also under discussion, according to Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE on Monday.

Europe, as whole, is facing a tough mission to bring the virus under control, as among some 83,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases outside China as of Monday morning, around 56,000 are in Europe. 

(Xinhua reporters Wang Zichen, Ghislain Zobiyo, Pan Geping in Brussels, Sonia Ounissi, Liu Fang in Paris, Liu Qu in Geneva, Chen Zhanjie in Rome, Shen Zhonghao in Frankfurt, Ren Ke in Berlin, Wen Xinnian in Lisbon, Chen Jin, Lin Huifen in Bucharest, Petros Petrides, Zhang Baoping in Nicosia, Bradley Blakenship, Yang Xiaohong in Prague, Peng Lijun in Ljubljana, Guo Mingfang in Vilnius, Marian Draganov, Wang Xinran in Sofia, Elina Xu, Zhu Haochen in Helsinki, David A. Williams, Lin Jing in Copenhagen, Zhang Qi in Dublin contributed to the story.)

Foreign citizens barred from entering Hungary at Budapest Airport from today!

Budapest-Airport-coronavirus

A government decree which entered into force on Tuesday 17 March prohibits foreign citizens from entering Hungary. From today, the travel documents of all arriving passengers are checked at Budapest Airport. Following this inspection, only Hungarian citizens are permitted to enter Hungary. Foreign citizens are turned away by the authorities, and they must wait in the designated transit area until departure.

Budapest Airport is not closing; it will continue to welcome and launch flights. However, only Hungarian citizens can enter Hungary from Tuesday. Anyone, Hungarians and foreigners alike, are free to depart from the airport in the coming days.

The Airport Police Directorate checks the travel documents of the passengers of all flights at the border crossing point. In the case of families traveling together, if at least one of the parties is a Hungarian citizen, the foreign family member (child, parent, grandparent, husband or wife) is permitted to enter Hungary.

The requirement that Hungarian citizens arriving home from South Korea, Iran, Israel, China and Italy must undergo mandatory medical screening upon entry to the country remains in force.

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

Together with the Airport Police Directorate, Budapest Airport is prepared to implement border controls.

To ensure a seamless process, all flights will arrive at Terminal 2B going forward, where the inspection of travel documents takes place.

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Read alsoHungary closes borders for all passenger transport! – UPDATE

Hungary closes borders for all passenger transport! – UPDATE

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Hungary will close its borders for all passenger transport and only Hungarian citizens will be allowed to enter, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Monday.

International coordination talks on the closure are under way, he said in parliament.

Government bans all events from Monday midnight

All events in Hungary will be banned starting at midnight on Monday, PM Viktor Orbán said in parliament, adding that sporting events should be held behind closed doors unless the organisers cancel those events altogether.

Pubs, cinemas and other cultural facilities will also be closed.

Restaurants, cafes and shops will be allowed to remain open until 3pm, Orbán said, adding that the restriction will not apply to food stores, pharmacies and drug stores.

Orbán has called on people to postpone all gatherings except for family events, and warned that the elderly were exceptionally vulnerable to the new virus.

Orbán: Epidemic requires rewrite of fiscal, economic policy

The new coronavirus epidemic will require a rewrite of fiscal and economic policy, Orbán said on Monday.

The budget will have to be redrafted “at all levels”, a task that will be coordinated by the finance minister, he said in parliament.

The governor of Hungary’s central bank has also become involved in the matter, Orbán said.

He stressed the necessity of measures to protect workplaces and said talks would start with representatives of the sectors hardest hit by the virus, namely tourism and catering, in order to determine courses of action.

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Read alsoHungary closes borders for all passenger transport! – UPDATE

PM Orbán calls for national cooperation

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Monday called for “joint action and national cooperation” to combat the new coronavirus epidemic.

Speaking in parliament, Orbán said that

working together offered the best chances to handle the epidemic, adding that the process would be “difficult and lengthy, with life in the next few months different from what we have been accustomed to”.

Orbán highlighted people working in health care and law enforcement, and thanked them for their efforts.

Orban added that handling the crisis will be a difficult and lengthy process and requires everybody to make adjustments because “the course of life will be different in the upcoming months from what we are used to”. The work of people in health care and law enforcement will be of primary importance in the upcoming period, he said and expressed thanks to them for their efforts so far. He also thanked all Hungarians for their discipline demonstrated in the extraordinary situation and for obeying the regulations.

“Cooperation and discipline are our most important assets,” Orbán said.

Orban said he expected the epidemic in Hungary to enter a new phase in the next few days when groups of people could become infected rather than isolated cases. As long as there is no vaccine, “the only chance” is to slow down the spread of the virus, he said.

Referring to the government’s measures taken so far, Orbán mentioned the introduction of a state of emergency and banning the entry of foreign nationals from several countries. The government also banned large events and closed universities earlier, and banned school trips to other countries. The government ordered that public education should be shifted to a distant learning model, and initiated construction of an epidemiology hospital.

The government has also set up an action group of Hungarian virologists, tasked to monitor international efforts and contribute to the work wherever they can, Orbán said, adding that “even if they manage to develop a vaccine, long months will pass before it is distributed”.

He said that the virus had made its way into Hungary from Iran, Italy and Israel. There is no global solution to prevent the epidemic, and each country must develop a protection strategy of their own, Orban said, adding that “it was like that when we had the economic and immigration crises, and at the times of the floods”. The Hungarian government is in close communication with its neighbours and with all other European Union members, but “we must pass the crucial decisions”, Orbán said. Cooperation with Austria, a country bordering Italy, is especially important, and the Hungarian government is bent on adapting Austrian measures, Orbán said.

“We have been in many difficult situations… and learnt that no matter how big the danger is, we have the best chances if we cooperate,” Orbán said,

and called for joint action and cooperation within the nation. “We need the broadest possible cooperation.”

Operative board calls for cancellation of all March 15 national holiday events – UPDATE

March 15 Hungary National flag hoisted hussar

Hungary’s operative board in charge of handling the new coronavirus outbreak has called for the cancellation of all events to mark the March 15 national holiday.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Tibor Lakatos, head of the board’s emergency centre, advised people over 60 to avoid public gatherings and large crowds.

Those returning from Italy, he added, are asked to stay at home, along with their children, for a period of 14 days regardless of whether or not they exhibit symptoms of the virus.

Lakatos said the board had begun working on measures to be implemented at Schengen land border crossing points, which will include screening all entrants.

Chief medical officer Cecília Müller told the same news conference that

the virus was certain to continue spreading across Europe.

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Read alsoThree more people infected by new virus in Hungary!

UPDATE

Chief medical officer Cecilia Müller told the same news conference that the procedure for defending against the new virus had so far changed on four occasions, adding that international organisations had already flagged additional changes. The Hungarian health authorities will comply with any further changes issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) or the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), she said.

Concerning the nationwide visiting ban imposed at hospitals, Muller said the restrictions did not apply in the cases of severely ill patients who are incapable of looking after themselves. According to the resolution, one parent is also allowed to stay at the hospital with their child and women due to give birth may also choose someone to accompany them, she added.

Müller confirmed that there were 16 health-care workers in quarantine, adding that their first tests had all come back negative.

She also said the virus was certain to continue spreading across Europe.

Meanwhile, Lakatos noted that the government has allocated eight billion forints (EUR 23.7m) for the response to the virus outbreak, which will primarily be spent on treating those infected and preventive measures.

He said the board had also discussed potential restrictions to be put in place at schools, adding that if necessary, the government is prepared to implement them.

On Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country rose to 12.

According to the latest data from the government, fully 67 people are in quarantine, while samples have been taken from 531 people suspected of carrying the virus.

In another development, Gábor Gordon, board member of the Hungarian March of the Living Foundation, announced on Tuesday that the foundation was cancelling this year’s march because of the coronavirus outbreak.

“Because nothing is as important as the protection of human lives and health, it is with a heavy heart that we must cancel this year’s march,” Gordon said in a statement.

The event was scheduled to be held on April 19.

Gordon said the foundation asked for the understanding of Holocaust survivors and “all decent people”, adding that, hopefully the march could be held at another time.

Meanwhile, the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) has prepared an information brochure on the new virus for tourists in nine languages and will send it to domestic tourism service providers, portal site turizmus.com said. In addition to Hungarian, the official communication on coronavirus has also been prepared in English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Chinese and Hebrew. The document informs foreign visitors about what to pay attention to and where to turn to if they observe symptoms of the infection.

It’s time for Brussels to wake up, says Hungarian FM Szijjártó

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Greece has an obligation to protect the European Union’s external, Schengen borders, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The minister said he contacted his Greek counterpart once migrants in Turkey set off for Europe.

Szijjártó vowed that Hungary would be able to protect its southern borders “even if a wave of migrants sweeps across the Western Balkans”.

“We won’t allow anyone to enter illegally and we will not give in to any pressure.”

It has been clear for months that Turkey, which has accommodated some 4 million migrants, has two options: either to help them return to their homelands or “open up its gates to Europe”, Szijjártó said.

“It’s time for Brussels to wake up and do what it can ensure security for Europeans instead of its hypocritical and dangerous immigration policy.”

Conditions must be created in which the refugees can return home, Szijjártó said.

As we wrote yesterday, Leaders of European Union (EU) institutions expressed on Tuesday their support for Greece and determination for a common European response to the refugee, migrant challenge after a visit to the Greek-Turkish land border. Details HERE.

Hungary to protect borders ‘under all circumstances’, says foreign minister in Belgrade

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Hungary will protect its borders “under all circumstances” and will not let in any illegal migrants, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said after talks with Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic in Belgrade on Monday.

“For us the security of the country and the Hungarian people comes first,” he said.

The talks focused on border protection as well as the situation in Turkey and Syria,

Szijjártó said. He said that developments at the Turkey-Greece border were worrying and suggested that hundreds of thousands of migrants could soon arrive in the Western Balkans.

Szijjártó said he had phoned his Greek counterpart and assured Greece of Hungary’s support. “Hungary knows what it is like when the country’s borders are under an organised attack … while the international liberal media is churning out fake news”.

The current situation also highlights the importance of the European integration of the Western Balkans, Szijjártó said, arguing that “the further south Europe’s defence lines are, the better”. He urged the EU to speed up its accession talks with Serbia, saying that the country was ready to open up five new chapters in those negotiations. Szijjártó called on the EU’s Croatian presidency to give its consent to the accession talks.

Szijjártó also had talks with Serbia’s European affairs minister Jadranka Joksimovic.

At a joint press conference after the talks, both ministers spoke highly of bilateral ties, both in political and economic terms, and called Hungary and Serbia strategic partners. Joksimovic also thanked Hungary for its continued support to her country’s endeavours to join the EU.