PM Orbán: Central Europe to emerge from crisis faster than rest of continent
The countries of central Europe are emerging faster from the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic than the rest of the continent because they have a strategy, have preserved jobs and have pursued developments without reducing their capacities, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in Celje on Wednesday.
Addressing the opening of the 53rd Celje International Trade Fair, Orbán said the timing of central Europe’s recovery “couldn’t be better”, arguing that the global economy was on the brink of a new era of which both Hungary and Slovenia could be winners. Hungary is prepared to continue its “fruitful cooperation” with Slovenia, he said, adding that a total of 26 Hungarian companies were represented at the fair.
Orbán said cooperation between Hungary and Slovenia was more effective now than at any other time in the past.
“The pandemic has turned our lives upside down,” he said. “It caused not only a health crisis but also a serious economic one.”
An estimated 114 million jobs have been lost to the crisis worldwide, investments plunged by 42 percent and the global trade volume is down by more than 5 percent, Orbán said. Also, hundreds of factories have had to be shut down, major multinational corporations have been forced to reduce their capacities, he added, noting that the crisis had forced fundamental changes in all segments of the global economy.
The prime minister said the
beginning of the new era of the global economy
would involve fierce competition for the redistribution of production capacities. Factories, he argued, were not being reopened in the same countries where they had closed.
Investors are looking for new and promising destinations, he said, adding that Hungary was also in the race to attract them. The countries and regions that held their own during the crisis were the ones best positioned in the competition for investments, Orbán said. Hungary and Slovenia are two of these countries, he added.
The prime minister said Hungarians had never seen Slovenia as part of the Western Balkans. Hungarians consider the region that extends from the Baltic coast of Poland to the Adriatic Sea as
“a large central European economic region”,
Orbán said. He said it was this economic and cultural region that guaranteed the security of the countries located in it.
“That’s why we’ve always viewed Slovenia as a central European country similar to us,” Orbán said. If Hungary and Slovenia join forces, they can both be winners of the new era of the global economy together with the other central European countries, he added. Orbán said this was clear from Slovenia’s economic indicators from the first half of the year. He praised the government of Janez Jansa for creating the conditions for Slovenia’s quick economic recovery.
Hungary and Slovenia’s cooperation has undergone a dimensional shift over the recent years, Orbán said. Since Prime Minister Jansa took office, “Slovenian-Hungarian ties are again based on mutual respect, which benefits both nations,” he said. Orbán said
trade turnover between Hungary and Slovenia was expected reach a record high this year.
Although Hungary has a negative trade balance with Slovenia, an increase in the trade volume is still in Hungary’s interests, he said.
The two countries will link their power grids by mid-2022 and they have set up a joint fund for developing their border regions, he said. Hungary and Slovenia are also building an international test corridor for self-driving vehicles, Orbán said, adding that Hungary was prepared to link its gas pipelines with Slovenia. Hungary’s biggest companies have also established a presence in Slovenia’s banking and fuel sectors, he noted.
President of Hungary celebrates 30yr of mutual respect for ethnics with Slovenia
President János Áder and his Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor attended a celebration marking the 30th anniversary of the federation of Hungary’s Slovenian minority in Szentgotthárd, in western Hungary, on Saturday.
“Those belonging to two homelands and nations will not halve their commitment but double it,” Áder said at the ceremony.
All Hungary’s minorities are “constituents of the nation”, Áder said, adding that “the minorities living with us are part of us, they are our compatriots, neighbours, with whom we share our lives, fate, and homeland”.
Pahor said that the two countries shared a responsibility to help their minorities survive and prosper.
- Ukraine should not threaten local Hungarians for using their mother tongue!
- PM Orbán to the EU: migration must be stopped!
Áder said that the “centuries-old” peaceful coexistence of the Hungarian and Slovenian nations was “exemplary in a central and eastern Europe divided by inherited conflicts”.
The two countries mutually appreciate their ethnic minorities and consider them as assets, he added. He also praised Slovenia for considering ethnic Hungarians as an indigenous minority and granting broad cultural rights and self-governance. “The least we can do is to provide the same to Hungary’s Slovenes,” he said.
The Slovenian president praised Slovenians in Hungary for finding opportunities for cross-border cooperation and utilizing the benefits accruing from both countries being European Union members early on and noted the resulting successful projects.
He said that both countries were providing more support than ever to their minorities, which served as bridges promoting not only cultural but economic ties, too.
Featured image: MTI/Varga György
Danish minister: criticizing PM Orbán for the border fence was a mistake
Justice Minister Judit Varga has called Hungary a “model state” in terms of managing issues around migration.
Her entry on Facebook appeared on Wednesday after Mattias Tesfaye, Denmark’s minister for immigration and integration, termed it as a mistake that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had been criticised for having erected a fence along Hungary’s southern border in 2015.
Varga cited Tesfaye as saying that Denmark advocated strong border defence and that
Europe should not make a choice between granting humanitarian assistance and building walls to protect the continent but it should do both.
“This statement and resilience over the past six years prove that Hungary is a model state as what is desire and hope elsewhere is reality here. Hungary is defending Europe’s borders and providing help where it is mostly needed simultaneously,” she said.
Meanwhile, PM Orbán met Andrej Plenkovic, his Croatian counterpart, to discuss the European political situation, the European Union’s future and Hungarian-Croatian cooperation yesterday. Meeting on the sidelines of the 16th Bled Strategic Forum, Orban and Plenkovic discussed current issues of regional cooperation and the
importance of border control,
Bertalan Havasi, the prime minister’s press chief, said. Central Europe will have to represent its interests in talks on the future of Europe vigorously, Orbán said.
Plenkovic thanked Hungary for the aid provided to earthquake-hit central Croatia earlier this year, he said.
Read alsoForeign minister urges construction of new border crossings with Croatia
PM Orbán to the EU: migration must be stopped!
The only solution for handling the issue of migration in the European Union is to give all the rights relating to it back to member states, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a leaders panel discussion during the international 16th Bled Strategic Forum on Wednesday.
Hungary does not accept migration as a solution to demographic challenges because migrants, “all Muslims”, change the cultural identity of Europe, Orbán said. He said that during the 2015 migration crisis he was the first to point out that the EU’s approach to migration could destroy European culture. The prime minister noted that already back then his position had been that uncontrolled migration could result in terrorism and social difficulties that the EU was not prepared for. “Migration must be stopped,” Orbán said.
He added that the EU could be facing another migration crisis as a result of the recent developments in Afghanistan.
As a consequence of the dispute on the migration issue inside the EU, division, differences and difficulties have been created and “we are not able to overreach that kind of gap among the opinions”, Orbán said.
“The only way to prevent the dispute on migration from destroying the unity of the EU is to give all the rights back to the nation states in relation to migration,” he added. Reiterating the Hungarian position, he said “what we need is not newcomers instead of our own people.”
“If we invite others from outside Europe, that will change the cultural identity of Europe,”
he said. “We only believe that the … traditional Christian family policy can help us out.”
Orbán said that when it came to migration, the experience of countries that have lived under Muslim occupation over the course of their history, like Hungary, was “more relevant” than the experience of the other countries.
“Because the migrants who are coming now are all Muslims,”
he added.
This year’s forum in Bled focuses on the future of Europe, economic recovery in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the enlargement of the EU. Orbán said on the latter that Serbia was a key country and its EU membership was unavoidable also from the point of geopolitics and security. He added that the EU needed Serbia more than Serbia needed the EU.
Commenting on the future of Europe, Orbán said
the EU must stay together and must maintain its unity.
Economic success is a basic condition for the EU’s unity, he added, insisting that “without economic success there is no basis for common values”.
The panel discussion included several heads of government and state from the region, including Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, and Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger, as well as Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Also joining the discussion were President of the European Council Charles Michel, President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, Vice-President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography Dobravka Suica, and Cardinal Secretary of State from the Vatican Pietro Parolin.
Read alsoOrbán cabinet: EU ministers’ statement on Afghanistan reflects Hungary’s position
Government: reuniting the Hungarian nation successful
The government has succeeded in reuniting the Hungarian nation over the past decade, and today being Hungarian is an advantage everywhere in the Carpathian Basin, the state secretary in charge of policies for Hungarian communities abroad said at a roundtable discussion in Sátoraljaújhely, in north-eastern Hungary, on Friday.
The Hungarian communities of the Carpathian Basin will only be strong if Hungary is strong economically, morally and politically, Árpád János Potápi told the event at the Summer Open University in the Carpathian Basin. He said the period since 2010 had been Hungary’s most successful decade of the past century.
Hungarians must be represented at every existing political forum in order to be in a position to strengthen their institutions in areas like education, culture and sports, Potapi said. He said
Hungarians must be represented at every existing political forum in order to be in a position to strengthen their institutions in areas like education, culture and sports, Potapi said. He said
every single locality in the Carpathian Basin populated by Hungarians had received some form of support in recent years.
László Brenzovics, head of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (KMKSZ), said Ukraine had become the poorest country in Europe and had taken away the rights of its national minorities. He said the ethnic Hungarian community in Ukraine today was less able to rely on international law for protection, but thanked the Hungarian government for its support of the community.
István Pásztor, head of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ), said
István Pásztor, head of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ), said
the pandemic had disproved the claim that it was possible to live without politics.
Vojvodina Hungarians have come to recognise that “the Hungarian political option” could be of significant help to them in their everyday lives, he said, noting that VMSZ had achieved its best result in the Serbian elections of the past 30 years.
Krisztián Forró, head of the Party of the Hungarian Community (MKP) in Slovakia, said all of his party’s calls for improving the situation of minorities in Slovakia in the recent period had been in vain. Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia (HMDK) leader Róbert Jankovics said his party had held on to its position in last year’s parliamentary elections and had been successful in
Krisztián Forró, head of the Party of the Hungarian Community (MKP) in Slovakia, said all of his party’s calls for improving the situation of minorities in Slovakia in the recent period had been in vain. Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia (HMDK) leader Róbert Jankovics said his party had held on to its position in last year’s parliamentary elections and had been successful in
deepening its ties with Croatia’s centre-right government.
Leader of Slovenia’s Hungarian Self-Governing Ethnic Community of Pomurje (MMONK) Ferenc Horvath said that for the first time in 30 years, his party had reached a “practical” agreement with the Slovenian government, which he said would be of significant help to the local Hungarian community.
István Csomortányi, head of the Transylvanian Hungarian People’s Party (EMNP), expressed his party’s support for the Hungarian government’s referendum on child protection, saying that they would do everything in their power to increase turnout among Transylvanian dual citizens. Barna Tánczos, Romania’s minister for environmental protection, said that the past few years had been successful for Romania’s ethnic Hungarian community, and expressed hope that the current cabinet would stay in power for the longer term.
István Csomortányi, head of the Transylvanian Hungarian People’s Party (EMNP), expressed his party’s support for the Hungarian government’s referendum on child protection, saying that they would do everything in their power to increase turnout among Transylvanian dual citizens. Barna Tánczos, Romania’s minister for environmental protection, said that the past few years had been successful for Romania’s ethnic Hungarian community, and expressed hope that the current cabinet would stay in power for the longer term.
EU enlargement in the Balkans: a playground for illiberals?
Remarks from Jobbik MEP Márton Gyöngyösi:
The European Union has long been haunted by the issue of the enlargement to the Balkans, and the community so far seems to have bitten off more than they can chew. The principle is beyond question: the goal of European integration has always been to reach out to every nation of our continent, right from the beginning. However, the enlargements of the 2000s also showed that many of the Central European states, despite their legal readiness for EU membership, were still lagging behind in terms of political culture.
This particularly applies to the Western Balkans. Hearing the illiberal Janez Janša talking about giving priority to the Balkans enlargement under Slovenia’s EU presidency may give rise to serious concerns.
Especially if the enlargement commissioner is Orbán’s man…
Our public discourse has recently been dominated by COVID-19, the lockdowns and economic problems, so we may have forgotten how long the European Union has been putting off answering an important question: what are the EU’s intentions with the Western Balkans? Of course, the EU, which often speaks in 27 different voices, is hardly known for its clear, assertive and rapid foreign policy decisions. However, the Western Balkans are not a remote region where our hesitation wouldn’t cause much more than a loss of some face. On the contrary: they are our immediate neighbours and the next target area for the EU’s enlargement. If there was an enlargement, that is…
We all know this has long been a highly polarizing issue for European nations.
Nobody questions the principle, but several western states have serious concerns that are justifiable from many aspects.
Firstly, the countries admitted in 2004 and after have caused a lot of headaches for the EU. Secondly, many western member states believe that we should be focusing on strengthening the cohesion among the existing members after such events as a major wave of enlargement, the Brexit and the latest controversies. Furthermore, the cause of the Western Balkans is hardly helped in these Western European countries by the fact that the greatest champions of the expansion are (unless you consider the recent statements of Angela Merkel who is to step down soon)
such illiberal leaders as Viktor Orbán, who has developed a highly influential political and media network with the region’s like-minded politicians.
However, we can’t put off answering the question much longer: the Western Balkans have simply been waiting too long and have only been offered minimal prospects, which plays into the hands of the region’s
populist and nationalist politicians who are less and less reluctant to turn towards Russia and China, too.
Although I have long been a supporter of the Western Balkans’ EU integration in principle, I wasn’t particularly thrilled to listen to Slovenian PM Janez Janša talking about the Balkans enlargement as a priority for Slovenia’s EU presidency in his speech to the EP plenary session this week. My reservations are rooted in my in-depth knowledge of this circle and their hidden agenda. As a Hungarian, I have an insight into the reasons why they now argue so vehemently for accelerating the accession process of primarily Serbia and then North Macedonia, too.
It is a widely known fact in Hungary that Viktor Orbán and Fidesz have long been yearning for adding such Balkan politicians to the ranks of EU leaders
who are almost completely identical with Viktor Orbán in terms of their character, methods and ideology, because Orbán has very few supporters left within the EU by now.
Apart from the Polish government that is willing to defend Fidesz on certain issues, Slovenia’s Janša has recently remained as Orbán’s last unwavering partner. As a result, Orbán’s circle (with some forward thinking) bought significant chunks of Slovenia’s and North Macedonia’s media cake, while the amicable relationship between Orbán and Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić has been widely known for a long time.
This group has created such an atmosphere in most Balkan countries that pushed them even deeper into political chaos instead of bringing them closer to the EU’s expected norms. Meanwhile, Orbán and his allies do not shy away from
Mafia-like methods,
either. To illustrate this point, let me mention former Macedonian prime minister and Orbán ally Nikola Gruevski, who was sentenced to prison in his homeland, but Orbán had him smuggled across three countries in diplomatic cars, so this fallen politician can now live a life of luxury in Budapest in complete safety.
Perhaps I’m not the only one to be worried that this group will do whatever it takes during Slovenia’s EU presidency to
make the most corrupt and dishonest political maneuvers a part of the EU’s operation under the disguise of the expansion to the Balkans.
They will likely find an avid supporter in enlargement commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, whose actions so far have hardly concealed that he is a fervent Orbán- and Fidesz soldier rather than a commissioner whose loyalty lies with the EU’s institutions.
Of course, I don’t want to make the mistake of overestimating what Slovenia’s EU presidency and Orbán’s group can do: although they may be able to significantly boost the acceptance of such politicians as Vučić, who has almost completely eliminated the opposition in his country, the French presidency coming up in the first half of 2022 will likely be much less enthusiastic about the Balkans integration…
I am not in the least suggesting that the enlargement to the Balkans should be stopped.
On the contrary, the European Union mustn’t abandon the Balkans.
In the meantime however, the EU must make it clear that accession is subject to certain values. It’s high time they made this message clear for Orbán or Janša, too. The clearer the better…
PM ORbán: Hungarians see Slovenians as ‘friends and Christian brothers’
Hungarians consider Slovenians their friends and Christian brothers and are pleased to be their neighbours, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in Ljubljana late on Friday.
Orbán was in the Slovenian capital to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia’s statehood and its upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. “When we Hungarians come to visit Slovenia
we see a beautiful country.
When we open a book on Slovenia’s history we read about the fate of a thousand-year-old nation,” Orbán said in his address.
“You won your freedom and independence you fought for thirty years ago almost unarmed, but with full composure and courage. The whole world then understood that Slovenia is the home of the brave, of those who want their own country back,” Orbán said, adding that
“You won your freedom and independence you fought for thirty years ago almost unarmed, but with full composure and courage. The whole world then understood that Slovenia is the home of the brave, of those who want their own country back,” Orbán said, adding that
Hungarians understand what it means to fight against a greater power.
“What makes a nation great is its traditions, pride and spirit,” he said.
“We see the work, creativity and calm spiritual strength with which you have made Slovenia spectacularly successful,” Orbán said, adding that “the stronger, richer and happier our neighbour is, the better for us, Hungarians, and for Hungary,” because such a country also strengthens the value of Hungary, its neighbour.
“We see the work, creativity and calm spiritual strength with which you have made Slovenia spectacularly successful,” Orbán said, adding that “the stronger, richer and happier our neighbour is, the better for us, Hungarians, and for Hungary,” because such a country also strengthens the value of Hungary, its neighbour.
“We are proud of your friendship, Hungary salutes the Slovenian people and their brave leaders,”
Orbán said. The state ceremony held at Ljubljana’s central Republic Square was also addressed by Slovenian President Borut Pahor and Prime Minister Janez Jansa, as well as European Council President Charles Michel, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
BREAKING! Hungary eases travel restrictions, further alleviation to be expected
From Wednesday, anyone can enter Hungary without restrictions at the land and water border crossing points of six neighbouring countries. Presumably, further easing of restrictions can be expected in Hungary when the number of vaccinated people reaches 5.5 million.
A few days ago, Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó announced at a press conference in Slovakia that Hungary would lift the guarding of border crossing points at its internal Schengen borders and open the border crossings previously closed due to the coronavirus epidemic. The plan entered into force this week, after the Hungarian government amended the regulation on travel restrictions. Accordingly,
from 23rd June, anyone can enter Hungary without restrictions at the land and water border crossing points of six neighbouring countries, including Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia, except by air.
The Hungarian news portal, Turizmus.com, highlighted that the opening of the borders does not affect visits to hotels, restaurants (except terraces), spas, museums, and other attractions, as these services can still be used only by citizens of countries with which Hungary has a unilateral or bilateral agreement on the vaccination certificate.
So far, Hungary has a bilateral agreement with the following countries: Morocco, Albania, Bahrain, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Northern Macedonia, Georgia, Croatia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Turkey.
In addition, the Hungarian government has signed another bilateral agreement with Kazakhstan. Accordingly, from now on, anyone can travel to Kazakhstan without restrictions if they have a Hungarian immunity certificate, and Hungary also accepts the Kazakh vaccination certificates, reported 24.hu.
However, the EU immunity certificate, which is expected to enter into force on 1st July, will only apply to vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, so those who have been vaccinated with a Russian or Chinese vaccine will need a negative Covid test to travel within the EU.
Meanwhile, Russia has also opened up to passengers with Hungarian citizenship and permanent residence if they arrive by direct flight from Hungary. According to the relevant government decree, the border crossing is open with a valid visa and a negative PCR test not older than three days.
Previously, the Russian authorities only allowed entry to passengers who arrived in the country for investment, economic, business purposes, or to visit relatives. The Russian government decree also covers citizens of Austria, Croatia, Luxembourg, Lebanon, and Mauritius, reported Index.
Presumably, further ease of restrictions can be expected in Hungary based on the announcement of Katalin Novák, Hungarian MP, according to whom
a significant portion of the current epidemiological restrictions will be lifted by the government when the number of vaccinated people reaches 5.5 million.
As Pénzcentrum reports, further details will be revealed on Thursday’s Government Info. So far, 5 million 432 thousand people in Hungary received their first vaccination, so Hungary might achieve the goal of 5.5 million vaccinated people in a week.
Regarding the possibility of easing the epidemiological restrictions in Hungary, experts highlighted that the need for mask use is still reasonable until 80% inoculation is achieved in Hungary. According to 24.hu, even though wearing a mask is uncomfortable and suffocating, it has an incredibly good barrier function, just like keeping social distance and washing hands frequently.
Thanks to all these, the spread of the new delta variant can be impeded more efficiently. As 24.hu reports, compared to other countries in the world, the presence of the delta variant is currently very low in Hungary. Numerically, only 5 cases of the mutant from India have been detected so far.
Read alsoHungary in the safest green zone – where can we travel from now on?
Breaking – Hungary offers to vaccinate frontier commuters
Hungary will offer to inoculate foreign nationals living in border regions against the coronavirus from July, the government said on its website late on Tuesday.
Foreign nationals living in areas along the borders Hungary shares with Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and Slovakia will be able to get a Covid jab at designated inoculation sites in Hungary.
Registration will take place on site. People will not be permitted to select the vaccine administered but will get the Covid jab that is available.
Offering the vaccine to foreign nationals aged 18 and older will contribute to the pandemic defence of Hungarian nationals and Hungarians living in border regions outside of the country, the government said. Details of the measure will be published in a decree on Monday. Hungary has inoculated more than half of its population against the coronavirus.
Eight patients died over the past 24 hours, while 91 new infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday.
So far 5,431,713 people have received a first jab, while 4,619,877 have been fully vaccinated.
The number of active infections has declined to 41,417, while hospitals are treating 241 Covid patients, 32 of whom need respiratory assistance. There are 3,322 people in official quarantine, while 6,073,516 tests have been officially carried out.
Since the first outbreak, 807,775 infections have been registered, while fatalities have risen to 29,971. Fully 736,387 people have made a recovery. So far, most infections have been registered in Budapest and Pest County, followed by the counties of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Győr-Moson-Sopron and Hajdú-Bihar.
Since the first outbreak, 807,775 infections have been registered, while fatalities have risen to 29,971. Fully 736,387 people have made a recovery. So far, most infections have been registered in Budapest and Pest County, followed by the counties of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Győr-Moson-Sopron and Hajdú-Bihar.
Want to travel abroad from Hungary? – Here is everything you need to know
The coronavirus pandemic has made international travel almost impossible last year, and since then, nothing has really returned to normal. It is hard to navigate through all the information out there, so we try to keep you updated with as much information as we can.
If you would like to travel from Hungary abroad, you can easily do so to 16 other countries with which Hungary has a bilateral agreement, that is, if you have a Hungarian immunity certificate.
You can learn more about the Hungarian immunity certificate HERE. You can check out all the countries that recognise the Hungarian immunity certificate – at the time of writing this article – and it makes you exempt from most if not all travel restrictions in THIS article.
Also, the testing phase of the coronavirus passport accepted by all European Union countries has started in Hungary. The unified passport will allow for the free movement of European citizens once again and will launch by July 1st. Although keep in mind that it only works if you were inoculated with vaccines that the European Medicines Agency accepts, which are currently the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines)
But if you would like to travel somewhere before that or have been inoculated with a different vaccine, luckily for you, Forbes.hu have created a detailed list of restrictions in place for the most popular destinations from Hungary.
Everything you need to know about the EU Covid certificate!
Breaking – Important change to come to the Hungarian immunity certificate
Almost all other countries must have some kind of additional restriction in place. It is best that you also contact either your embassy in the country you would like to travel to or any relevant authorities of the target country.
Austria
If you would like to go to Austria, you should either have:
- An antigen test no older than 24 hours
- A PCR test no older than 72 hours
- An antibody test no older than 3 months
- A certificate from a doctor if you recovered from the coronavirus within the last 6 months
- If you were vaccinated with Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Moderna or Sinopharm (22 days after the first jab – for 3 months; or 9 months after the second jab or the first in case of a one-dose vaccine)
Do I need to register beforehand?
If you have one of the above, you do not need to register since June 10.
Do I need to wear a mask?
You must wear an FFP2 or better mask in stores and on public transportation.
Greece
If you would like to go to Greece, you should either have:
- A PCR test no older than 72 hours
- 14 days after the final vaccination of these vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Sinovac, Sputnik V, Sinopharm
- If you have recovered from the coronavirus, with a PCR or rapid antigen test that is more than two months but no more than 9 months old
Do I need to register beforehand?
If you are entering Greece, you need to register at least 24 hours before you do so. There is an English Passenger Locator Form which you need to fill out. If you do so, you will get a QR-code that is scanned at the border.
Do I need to wear a mask?
Yes. Both indoors and outdoors. If there are any passengers in a car other than the driver, you also need to wear a mask.
Croatia
If you would like to go to Croatia, you should either have:
- A PCR test no older than 72 hours
- A negative antigen test no older than 48 hours
- If you have recovered from the virus, a certificate from a doctor or a positive PCR or antigen test no older than 180 days, but issued at least 11 days or more before travelling ( in this case, positive antibody results and the Hungarian certificate if you have recovered from the virus is not accepted)
- A Hungarian immunity certificate and after you received both doses of the vaccine or 14 days after the one-dose Janssen vaccine
- If someone has recovered from the virus and have received the first dose of a vaccine within the last six months, you can travel without any tests for 6 months after the first dose
- If 22 days have passed since you received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna or Sputnik V, but no more than 42 days pass, or in the case of AstraZeneca, 22 days after the first dose but no more than 84 days. ( In the case of Sinopharm, you can only travel if you have received both jabs)
Do I need to register beforehand?
At the border, you have to declare how long do you plan to stay in the country, what places you will visit and the actual address of your accommodation. There is also a form that you can fill out beforehand.
Do I need to wear a mask?
It is mandatory to wear a mask on public transportation, in administrative offices, in shops, banks, post offices, health care facilities, buildings of educational institutions and buildings of companies providing services.
Orbán’s secret plan against the virus
Covid-19 status in Hungary – is it over?
Germany
You can currently travel to Germany from Hungary without any restriction; however, if you are travelling by plane, you need either of the following:
- An antigen test no older than 48 hours
- A test based on nucleic acid detection that is no older than 72 hours (PCR, LAMP, TMA)
- At least 14 days have passed after the second dose of any vaccine accepted by the German PEI Institute (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen)
- If you have recovered from the coronavirus, you need a positive PCR test older than 28 days but no older than 6 months
Do I need to register beforehand?
There is no need for registration.
Do I need to wear a mask?
In administrative offices, in stores and on public transportation, it is mandatory to wear a mask.
Italy
If you would like to go to Italy before the 31st of July:
- You need a PCR test conducted within 48 hours, regardless of any circumstances ( you will need to be quarantined for 10 days if you have no test results)
Do I need to register beforehand?
Similar to Greece, you need to register online at the Passenger Locator Form.
Do I need to wear a mask?
Mask wearing is mandatory both indoors and outdoors.
Slovenia
If you would like to go to Slovenia, you should either have:
- A negative PCR or antigen test no older than 48 hours
- A Hungarian immunity certificate
If you do not have a Hungarian immunity certificate, but you can prove either of the following:
- You received the second dose of Pfizer at least 7 days prior
- You received the Janssen vaccine or the second dose of Moderna, Sputnik V, Coronavac or Sinopharm vaccines at least 14 days prior
- You received the first dose of AstraZeneca or Covishield at least 21 days prior
Do I need to register beforehand?
If you are staying for more than 3 days, then yes, but some accommodations will arrange that for you.
Do I need to wear a mask?
It is mandatory to wear one indoors.
Read alsoAll the beaches in Hungary you can enjoy without an immunity certificate
Special manoeuvres as part of Black Swan military exercise – PHOTOS
Special manoeuvres were presented to experts and journalists as part of the Black Swan 2021 international military exercise at a Hungarian army base near Szolnok, in central Hungary, on Wednesday.
The exercise involved
Hungarian, Austrian, Croatian, Slovak and Slovenian soldiers and was assisted by US trainers and troops as well as trainers from Germany,
Ferenc Köröm, the Hungarian army chief, told reporters after the event.
Black Swan aimed at launching the regional special operations command in Szolnok which will have to be fully operational by 2024, he said, adding that the Wednesday event was a first test for that.
Black Swan is taking place on Hungarian, Croatian, and Slovak territory, with the Hungarian command coordinating the operations.
It is being organised in connection with the US Trojan Footprint-South 2021 and Blue Sky exercises, and is part of the Defender Europe 2021 series of exercises, Korom said.
Breaking – six countries recognise Hungarian immunity certificate
Six countries – Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey and Bahrein – have agreed to recognise Hungary’s vaccination certificate, a foreign ministry official said on Wednesday.
Tamás Menczer, the state secretary for communications and international relations, said in a video posted on Facebook that the Croatian authorities require Hungarians to present the slip of paper containing the dates of the two jabs they received as well as the plastic vaccination card, and will
allow entry from the 14th day after the second shot.
As regards Turkey, the country has agreed to allow non-immunised minors accompanied by parents carrying an immunity card entry, Menczer noted, adding the ministry is negotiating to reach similar agreements on minors with the other countries as well.
“We can talk about travel abroad because our country is far ahead of other European countries in terms of its vaccination drive,”
said Menczer.
The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) said in reaction that the card alone does not serve as a free pass for entering Croatia.
Judit Földi Rácz, DK’s board member, told a press conference that the government had “yet again misinformed Hungarians” on an important Covid-related question, noting the foreign minister’s last week’s announcement on Hungary and Croatia mutually allowing free entry of immunity certificate holders.
Everything you need to know about travelling to and from Hungary
There have been many uncertainties since the coronavirus struck the world last year. Since then, many countries and pharmaceutical corporations have developed several types of vaccines to combat the coronavirus epidemic. Unfortunately, there are still some things that are uncertain, and so there can be a great deal of confusion between different countries’ restrictions. In this article, we would like to shed some light on what you might need to keep in mind when travelling to Hungary or other European countries from Hungary.
Let us start with the current restrictions concerning Hungary. After the vaccination programme reached 4 million inoculated people, the country had its largest reopening for a long time.
- The curfew was pushed back to midnight.
- Stores can be open until 11 pm.
- Services and the outside areas of catering units are available for everyone.
- With an immunity certificate, you can go to the inside areas of catering units as well as visit recreational facilities (zoos, wildlife parks, theatres, cinemas, baths, etc.)
- Gyms can only be used by people with an immunity certificate or by an athlete certificate
You can read about the immunity certificate in more detail HERE, and you can find out the latest information concerning foreigners’ vaccination and certificates HERE.
There have been talks about a universal European Green Card that would confirm people’s inoculation, prior virus infection or test results so that those people can be exempt from certain restrictions when travelling between EU or Schengen countries.
According to Hvg, as it currently stands, the earliest this card can be expected to launch is the 21st of June, but due to diplomatic issues and disagreements about vaccines, this might be heavily delayed.
The current way to go, it seems, are bilateral agreements. This means that two countries agree with the other, independent of the EU, that they will accept each other’s certificates for vaccination, prior infection and negative results. Hungary has currently six such agreements:
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Montenegro
- Bahrein
- Turkey
- Greece (2 weeks after the second jab)
Now, how can you travel to other countries from Hungary? This is the tricky part. There is no established basic system in the EU, and every country can decide on their own restrictions. According to Hvg, most countries, however, use the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s system. It has four levels: green, orange, red, and dark red.
Brussel’s main view is that EU countries should lift travel restrictions for those who come from regions with the green classification.
In Europe it is Finland and Norway, but there are some non-EU countries which have similar classification:
- Australia
- New-Zealand
- Ruanda
- Singapore
- South-Korea
- Thailand
- China, Hongkong, Macao (in case of reciprocation)
But again, using this system is not mandatory; Hungary, for example, does not use it, which can really complicate things, especially because Hungary is in the red classification, which means that travel restrictions are in effect if you would like to visit other countries from Hungary.
What can you do then to know what restrictions are in effect and where? Well, it is tough to say since there is no consensus on things.
The major things to look out for are the following:
- Is there any required quarantine, and if so, for how many days?
- What is the age of exemption?
- Is a negative test required beforehand?
- Is there any unique registration platform for travelling?
Hvg also suggests checking border crossings, as you may not pass at certain checkpoints. Public transportation might have a reduced schedule or other restrictions. And also, flight tickets are not necessarily a guarantee that the flight will not be cancelled.
Also keep in mind that some countries require different time periods to pass after receiving each vaccine.
Unfortunately, in this sense, the Hungarian certificate is not the best, as the date of complete inoculation is not printed on the card, nor the type of the vaccine. As for the EMA accepting certain vaccines, that might not be an issue. Recently, it accepted the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, which many countries did not seem to trust at first.
Tourist attractions might also have certain restrictions, so it is best to check before planning your travel.
Most countries require people to wear masks (some even the type: FFP2) at least indoors, and keeping the proper distance is also a widespread requirement.
For the best site to gather some information about the travel restrictions in the EU, you should visit Re-open EU, where you can find the latest news in a plethora of languages. A good source of information would be your country’s embassy in your destination or the target country’s government website.
Read alsoWhat would happen if you were to forge an immunity certificate? – Updated
Want to get an immunity certificate? It costs EUR 3-600 in Hungary
The more benefits those who have an immunity certificate acquire, the more people would like to have one, even if it is fake.
According to euronews.com, the debate whether it is good to link “privileges” to the so-called green certificates started in January 2021. Then, most said that it would be discrimination to let only those enter a cinema, a restaurant or theatre who have an immunity certificate. However, this opinion faded with time and gave space to those who say that the vaccine should go hand in hand with privileges during the pandemic.
The number of governments thinking so is rising even though most of them say that they will allow citizens to substitute the green certificates with negative tests.
Interestingly, Hungary is at the forefront in acquiring Eastern vaccines and in making immunity certificates. The first ones appeared in February, and there are already significant privileges linked to them. For example, those can sit inside a restaurant, enter a cinema, bath, theatre, and gyms who have the card. Furthermore,
everybody can return from abroad or travel to Serbia, Bahrein, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Croatia with a Hungarian green certificate.
If there is demand, there will be support. Thus, it is not surprising that social media became flooded with advertisements about how to get a fake immunity certificate.
- Next phase of reopening from Monday: universities, schools
- Where to stay in Hungary? Here are the best hotels! – PHOTOS
Euronews started to investigate the issue and found that the most expensive, but the most trustworthy, path is to get one with the help of general practitioners. GPs can send more names to the National Public Health Centre than they inoculated. Based on sources who wanted to remain anonymous,
the process costs HUF 100-200 thousand (EUR 300-600).
One can try to forge such cards, but it is difficult to include all the security elements. In Hungary, there have not been such scandals yet, but in the USA, it happened already, for example, in Chicago. Furthermore, there is a rise in the number of posts on Facebook or TikTok offering fake inoculation documents.
The easiest is to forge a positive antigen test,
send it to the authorities, and you will receive a card valid for four months. Another method is to send somebody who already got the infection before to the antigen test. Since social security cards do not contain a photo and nobody checks any other ID cards of the “patient”, such solutions are almost untraceable.
That is why the Hungarian government acted quickly and,
from last Sunday on, all those who the authorities catch forging or using fake documents or cards risk a 5-year-long sentence in prison.
Moreover, all those who go into a community with such forged cards are risking lives, which is morally unacceptable. Nobody’s friend or relative will be protected by a fake card.
State secretary calls on Slovenians, Hungarians to jointly foster culture, mother tongue
Slovenians and Hungarians should jointly foster their culture and mother tongue and rely on one another, Miklós Soltész, the state secretary for church and ethnic relations of the Prime Minister’s Office, said in Lendava (Lendva) on Thursday.
Christianity, their common faith, lends a great deal of strength to this endeavour, the state secretary said after meeting Catholic Bishop Peter Stumpf, Lutheran Bishop Leon Novak, and the Reformed pastor and pastoress of Murska Subota (Muraszombat).
“There’s a particularly pressing need for inter-denominational cooperation to face challenges stemming partly from migration, such as the Muslim push, and partly from the anti-Christian thoughts cherished by some western European ideologies,” Soltész told MTI by phone.
The state secretary visited Saint Catherine of Alexandria Church in Lendava, whose tower was damaged by two Croatian earthquakes last year and is being renovated in part from Hungarian funds.
Orbán, Jansa discuss pandemic measures, vaccination
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán discussed with Janez Jansa, his Slovenian counterpart, coronavirus protection measures and the importance of vaccination, in Porto on Thursday evening, Orbán’s press chief told MTI.
They agreed that vaccination against Covid-19 was the only measure of halting the third wave of the pandemic, Bertalan Havasi said.
Orbán told Jansa that a gradual reopening of Hungary was made possible by the availability of vaccines to a broad circle of people. He noted that services can again be used by those holding a vaccination certificate.
The two premiers however underlined that the pandemic is not yet over which is why Hungarians and Slovenes must behave responsibly both in their own interest and in the interest of others.
They advised those who have not signed up for vaccination to register, Havasi said.
Orbán and Jansa are attending an EU summit in Porto.
Read alsoHungary, Slovenia police thwart illegal sale of rare scripts – Video
Where to travel with the Hungarian immunity certificate?
More and more countries have announced that those possessing the holy plastic card will be able to cross their borders without restrictions. Still, there is no unilateral decision among European Union member states, let alone among the majority of the world’s countries on what measures will actually be implemented.
Even though a Hungarian decree issued at the end of April stated that those who have been vaccinated will be able to travel freely, in reality, this is hardly the case. Especially if we talk about foreign countries.
The European Parliament made a decision last week:
only those who were vaccinated with a jab approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will be entitled to certain easements when it comes to international travel.
The Chinese Sinophram and the Russian Sputnik V, the vaccines that are majorly used in Hungary, did not make the list. Nevertheless, the EMA has been investigating the Chinese jab, so the declaration of PM Viktor Orbán saying that this serum will be approved soon and used for travel this summer might come true in the near future.
When it comes to the immunity certificate and how to travel to Hungary’s neighbouring countries, here is a very detailed article containing all the information you need to know.
How to travel to Hungary’s neighbouring countries this summer
On the other hand, some important novelties came to life since then. Apart from Serbia, Slovenia, and Montenegro,
Bahrein also signed a bilateral agreement with Hungary, accepting one another’s immunity certificates.
This bilateral agreement will be key, and probably the only way for a while, to fight the issue of which vaccines accepted by the EU will be also accepted by individual countries.
There is another major issue with the plastic card, regarding travelling abroad. The reception date of the second jab is not included on the immunity certificate, not even when the QR code is scanned. This can cause quite a problem at the borders, since
Greece, for instance, does accept all vaccines used in Hungary, BUT only 2 weeks after receiving the second jab.
Hvg.hu asked the consular centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding this inconvenience. Even they said that the police in another country will not understand the Hungarian plastic card, the policeman either accepts it or not. For this reason,
they advise everyone to also take the documentation received together with the second vaccine when travelling abroad since this paper does contain the actual date of inoculation.
Truth be told, it is also in Hungarian, but as the consular centre said, it will “probably” be accepted.
On a more positive note, Hungary is currently conducting negotiations with Israel and Greece to set up the aforementioned bilateral agreement.
As of today, Israel is taking the situation and all measures very seriously. Entering the country right now is only possible in certain situations and under strict circumstances. The approval of the Migration Office of Israel and a PCR test taken 72 hours prior to the travel are both needed. Right now, the Hungarian immunity certificate or a document proving that you suffered through covid do not absolve you from taking the tests. The 14-day-long quarantine can only be shortened with a test taken in Israel.
Those inoculated with both doses of a vaccine accepted by the EU can travel to Poland without restrictions.
The plastic card needs to contain the type of vaccine and the dates of both inoculations. Moreover, it needs to contain the stamp of the doctor who inoculated you, and most importantly, the documentation needs to be written either in English or in Polish. None of these conditions is met by the Hungarian immunity certificate or the document proving the vaccination.
We should forget about Germany for now, as no travel for touristic purposes is allowed, and you would need to register your trip in advance anyway.
Italy, as of today, does not give any easement to those with an immunity certificate. Nevertheless, this might very easily change on May 15 since the country desperately needs tourism.
The most exciting, breaking news is probably from Croatia, which we also reported yesterday.
Those who have a Hungarian immunity certificate will be able to travel to Croatia, free of restrictions.
The rule does not only apply to Hungarian citizens but to anyone who was inoculated in Hungary and thus has a plastic card issued by the country. The agreement is said to enter into force already this week.
Flexibility will definitely be the most important adjective describing this summer, as new restrictions, easements, and decisions are announced every single week.
Read alsoRules on Hungarian immunity certificate have changed!
You can travel to Croatia with a Hungarian COVID certificate!
Hungary has agreed with Croatia to mutually recognise immunity certificates allowing holders unrestricted travel between the two countries, the foreign minister said on Facebook on Wednesday.
Under an agreement reached earlier today,
“Hungarian nationals who have been vaccinated can travel to Croatia with no obligation to isolate or get tested,”
Péter Szijjártó said.
The technical details will be posted on the Hungarian Foreign Ministry’s Consular Service website during the week, he said.
Talks with other neighbouring countries are ongoing on the matter of accepting certificates, Szijjarto said.
The first neighbour Hungary agreed with on mutually recognising immunity certificates was Serbia last week.
As we wrote in THIS article, in case you already got your immunity certificate, you can profit from certain advantages when travelling to a neighbouring country of Hungary and when returning. As all countries are trying to boost their vaccination programme to return to normality and have a relatively free summer, some of them already grant certain advantages and easement to those possessing the holy certificate.
Here is a comprehensive guide to crossing the Hungarian border and to know what to prepare for in these neighbouring countries. First of all,
even if you do not have a social security card (TAJ), you can still be vaccinated in Hungary.
The inoculation of foreigners without TAJ card will begin mid-May, and registration already started yesterday. It is very important to note that the rules of the immunity certificate and how to obtain it have changed!
Now, let us focus on the rules and exceptions when crossing the Hungarian border to go to a neighbouring country.
Further details in the ARTICLE.
How to travel to Hungary’s neighbouring countries
In case you already got your immunity certificate, you can profit from certain advantages when travelling to a neighbouring country of Hungary and when returning.
As all countries are trying to boost their vaccination programme to return to normality and have a relatively free summer, some of them already grant certain advantages and easement to those possessing the holy certificate. Here is a comprehensive guide to crossing the Hungarian border and to know what to prepare for in these neighbouring countries.
First of all, even if you do not have a social security card (TAJ), you can still be vaccinated in Hungary.
It is very important to note that
the rules of the immunity certificate and how to obtain it have changed!
Now, let us focus on the rules and exceptions when crossing the Hungarian border to go to a neighbouring country, summed up by index.hu.
If you wish to travel to Romania, get ready for quarantine. Usually, it is 14 days, but if you have a PCR test that you are obligated to do in 72 hours anyway before entering the country, lockdown decreases to 10 days. You do not need a PCR in 4 cases:
- kids under the age of 3,
- those who received their second jab at least 10 days earlier
- those who suffered through the virus at least 90 days before entering the country and can officially prove it
- commuting workers.
You do not need to go to quarantine in the following cases:
- you travel through the country and spend less than 24 hours and do not show any symptoms
- those who spend less than 72 hours in the country and have done a PCR maximum 72 hours earlier
- those who already had covid at least 14 days earlier but not earlier than 90 days.
In case of a special occasion (funeral, getting married, childbirth or emergency medical appointment), you will need to submit a request in advance to avoid quarantine.
Based on the latest news, a bilateral agreement is to be signed between the two governments in days, which might enable Hungarian, Romanian citizens having an immunity certificate to travel free between the two countries.
Ukraine does not take any chances. You need a PCR test conducted 72 hours before your entry into the country, together with a certificate stating the objective of your travel and an insurance covering a possible covid treatment you may need in the territory of the country, and you also need to download a “stay at home” quarantine monitoring application. In case you deny all these above, a 14-day-long quarantine awaits, but you are still obligated to get a test in 24 hours. If negative, you are free to go.
Of course, in case of a special occasion, like a funeral or a business trip, you can skip quarantine with the appropriate documents. However, border control officials will decide whether they grant or deny entry to the country.
Slovakia also plays safe and sends you to quarantine for 14 days, even if you have the immunity certificate.
The only exceptions are:
- at least 14 days have passed since you received the second dose of an mRNA-based vaccine
- more than 4 weeks have passed since receiving the first dose of a vector vaccine
- at least 14 days have passed since receiving the first jab of a vaccine, after having been through covid
- in case you have been through covid in the last 180 days, and you can prove it.
You can enter without a test, but you are obligated to take one 8 days later. Commuters and students will need a negative PCR or antigen test from the past 7 days. On the other hand, those travelling through the country, cargo shippers and diplomats are not required to have a test.
Slovenia is free for those Hungarian citizens who have the immunity certificate, thanks to the two countries’ bilateral agreement.
Those, however, who do not have the plastic card will need to spend 10 days in quarantine, except for the possession of a negative PCR test taken a maximum of 48 hours earlier. (The test needs to be taken in an EU or Schengen country, USA, UK, Australia, Israel, Canada, Russia, New-Zealand)
Quarantine is also ruled out for those:
- who have been through the virus between the past 21 and 180 days
- who have been vaccinated at least 14 days earlier with the second jab of the Moderna, Sputnik V, CoronaVac, Sinopharm, or with the Janssen vaccine
- who got the first shot of the AstraZeneca or the Covishield at least 21 days prior
- who were completely vaccinated by the Pfizer serum at least a week earlier.
Commuters will need a PCR or a quick antigen test from the past 7 days. The same rules apply to special occasions when you return in 72 hours.
Serbia welcomes those Hungarians who were fully vaccinated and have the immunity certificate. Arriving from Hungary, you either need a negative PCR test from the last 48 hours, or else you are subjected to 10 days in quarantine. This, however, can be skipped with a test taken in Serbia.
In case you would travel for business, you do not need a test, but you have to notify authorities 24 hours prior with a written request submitted to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Serbia.
Children under the age of 12 do not need a test in case you have a negative one or a temporary or permanent residence permit. The same applies to agricultural and humanitarian workers.
Austria is much stricter. You will need a negative PCR not older than 72 hours or a negative antigen test not older than 48 hours. The country still obligates you to a 10-day-long quarantine that can be left the earliest 5 days later with a negative test in your pocket.
When it comes to students, commuters, anyone wishing to visit a family member, or if you travel for business reasons, you will still need a test.
Restrictions are only lifted in case of:
- an unforeseen or urgent family matter (serious sickness, death, funeral, childbirth)
- a family matter than can be previously planned (birthday, marriage, baptism)
- agricultural work or animal care
- maintaining the traffic of passengers and cargo.
Commuters need to re-register every 28 days apart from needing a negative test 72 before entering. It can also be taken in Austria in the next 24 hours.
And finally, the most awaited country, Croatia. They are earnestly waiting to welcome Hungarian tourists. If you travel from Hungary, you will need a negative PCR or antigen test from the last 48 hours. You can also take the test in Croatia, but in this case, you will need to register the place where you start your quarantine. If you do not test, a 10-day-long quarantine is mandatory. These restrictions stay in effect even if you only travel for some days for personal matters.
No restrictions apply for those who:
- received the first dose of the vaccine
- have the immunity certificate
- have been through covid the past 180 days and can prove it with a positive test taken at least 11 days before travelling.
Those provenly travelling for emergency business purposes do not need a test. This exception involves students, health care workers, paramedics, daily commuters, cargo shippers, or those travelling to attend a funeral or an emergency medical treatment.
However, everyone needs to give a statement on the length of their staying, including the address they will stay at, in case we talk about several days.
As seen above, the immunity certificate is a very useful plastic card. Nevertheless, trying to trick the authorities with a fake certificate is not worth it at all.
Here is what you can expect if you do so against our warning and get caught.
