Hungary’s government has extended temporary border controls, introduced in September to contain the spread of the coronavirus, by another month, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said at a regular government press briefing.
Gergely Gulyás urged the public to observe the rules implemented so far in response to the epidemic, underlining the importance of wearing face masks. Schools are carrying out temperature checks on students and the blanket visiting ban on visits to hospitals and retirement homes is being maintained, he said, adding that the seasonal flu vaccine will also be widely available.
Government spokesperson Alexandra Szentkirályi said that flu vaccines would be made available free to residents this year. She noted that flu and Covid-19 produced similar symptoms, and vaccination against flu could help doctors diagnose Covid-19. Nationwide, 1.3 million flu vaccines will be distributed, she said.
Meanwhile, Gulyás said the government’s aim, in line with the results of the latest National Consultation public survey, is to ensure that the country is able to function. As regards the economy, Gulyás said there were more than 4.5 million people employed, adding that the government had kept its promise to create as many jobs as were lost in the coronavirus crisis while helping to preserve some 1.4 million jobs through various schemes. He also added that job protection would remain one of the government’s top priories. Gulyás confirmed expectations of a dropping economic performance but added that the Hungarian figure would still be better than the European average. Gulyás said the government forecasts and economic downturn this year of an annual 5%.
Addressing the issue of the rule of law, Gulyás said that linking the dispute concerning the rule of law in European Union member states to the bloc’s planned coronavirus recovery package was “irresponsible” and this could prevent members from gaining timely access to community aid. Gulyás noted that while Hungary had expressed disagreement with plans to jointly take out a loan to finance the package in the summer, it supported the scheme out of solidarity with southern EU member states. Concerning the European Commission’s report on the rule of law, Gulyás said that the document “clearly applies double standards,” adding that it applied “the rule of blackmail rather than the rule of law”. He also insisted that European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova had made a “grossly offensive” remark concerning Hungary, and said that the EU “must not have leaders speaking disrespectfully about a member state or its citizens”. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has turned to the head of the commission over the matter, and the Hungarian government will no longer have bilateral talks with Jourová, who has become “persona non grata”, Gulyás said. He also criticised the report over its sources, saying that “11 out its 12 external references are associated with organisations financed by George Soros”. Gulyás called for “irresponsible disputes” to be dropped in the EU agreement on a coronavirus rescue package implemented, adding that the package may be set up on an intergovernmental basis. “If some still think that the package could be prevented using the rule of law as an excuse, we need to find a different solution,” he said.
Concerning funds for the University of Theatre and Film Arts, Gulyás said the university’s board may have three billion forints (EUR 8.3m) at its disposal next year, more than twice as much as it has received so far. “The government’s only powers over universities run by foundations are to ensure the necessary funds, which have been exercised,” he said. The government, he added, had placed its full trust in the board and “observes the law that the government does not have control over universities transferred to foundations”, he added.
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