Hungary's Borders Shut - With Several Exceptions

Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, said that starting on September 1, the government is re-introducing the border protection measures in force during the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic. Shortly after, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister announced a few exceptions to the rule.

The minister said military convoys and business or diplomatic trips can be exempted from the regulations. He added that the humanitarian corridor for commuters transiting Hungary would remain open. Sports events will be governed by strict regulations.

Gulyás said Hungarians returning from abroad will have to self-quarantine for 14 days, or until they produce two negative tests taken two days apart. The measures are designed to ward off infections from abroad. Hungary will have to prepare to protect its elderly citizens, children preparing for the start of the academic year and ensure continued economic performance, he said.

Gulyás noted that the second wave of the pandemic had started in Europe, and the number of infections has also increased in Hungary. He added, however, that the situation was still better in Hungary than elsewhere. He said that the possibility of importing the virus was the greatest danger, but through closing the borders, wearing masks, social distancing and frequent disinfection of hands the virus could be kept under control.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he was asked by his Czech counterpart to allow into Hungary Czech citizens who had already booked accommodation in Hungary. That was followed by an announcement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó who said people from Slovakia and Poland would also be exempt from the ban on foreign citizens entering Hungary. Thus, those who prove with test that they are virus-free can enter Hungary from these three V4 countries. In the meantime, the European Union said it would investigate the granting of these exemptions.