The containment of the coronavirus epidemic has been successful; this is why the special legal order can now be lifted. However, in health care we must maintain a state of preparedness, Gergely Gulyás, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office said at the Thursday online ‘Governmentinfo’ press conference.
Hungary adopted stringent measures in good time, as a result of which we are among the few countries where the phase of mass incidences has not emerged, he said, stating that we have managed to keep the spread of the virus under control.
At the same time, the Minister also highlighted that left-wing parties could not be relied upon; they did not vote for the legislation that created the conditions for a successful containment effort, and instead of taking part in the effort to contain the epidemic, they attacked the government and experts in charge of disease control measures. He added that also at the time of the lifting of the state of danger, they are exposed to attacks from the opposition.
Regarding the termination of the special legal order, he said from 20 June, at the latest, all the guarantees which are laid down in the Constitution for the event of the normal legal order will be in place again.
Mr Gulyás said disease control preparedness in health care means that the system for the supervision of hospitals will remain unchanged, and the Chief Medical Officer and the government will be granted powers that are essential for the adoption of the necessary disease control measures. These include – if necessary – the upholding of the shopping hours reserved for the elderly and a ban on the organisation of events. Regarding the latter, he observed that not even after 20 June will we be able to return to mass events, in particular, in enclosed spaces, which may involve a threat of the spread of infection.
He said protective measures will also change in Budapest, allowing the gradual restarting of life according to a strict timetable. Restaurants, too, will be allowed to reopen, reducing losses in the sector which is crucial both for the national economy and workers, he pointed out.
Mr Gulyás also highlighted that commemorations organised to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the Treaty of Trianon can be held between 3 and 7 June, subject to the observance of strict rules. On 4 June, Parliament, too, will hold a special commemorative sitting where the President of the Republic will deliver a speech. Other events will also be organised, and the Prime Minister will make an address as well, he said, adding, however, that the inauguration of the Trianon memorial will be postponed; it could be held on 20 August.
He stressed that the event that took place a hundred years ago is a national tragedy, and there is no other nation that would have survived a dismemberment on a similar scale. At the same time, today Hungary is stronger than at any time before in the past one hundred years, national communities have survived multiple oppressions, nation policy has been placed on new foundations, and today relations with parts of the nation are much more vibrant than ever before, he said.
He took the view that we have reached a stage where also in a public law sense, relations have been forged with the constituent national communities, and the government’s nation policy measures regarding Hungarian communities beyond the borders have come up to expectations, he underlined.
At the press conference, he described next year’s budget as an economy protection budget. He stressed that at present, it is yet impossible to tell what impact the coronavirus epidemic will have on the economy, there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding this. In next year’s budget, there is a large economy protection fund which will help to create new jobs to replace those destroyed by the epidemic, he explained.
He said employment data had never before been better than in March, and so it is important to offer a chance to people who have lost their jobs. They have introduced state training courses, launched job creation programmes, raised the contingent of public works schemes, reduced the taxes on live work, and are supporting investments at an unprecedented rate, he listed.
According to Mr Gulyás, the goal is for people and businesses creating jobs to have access to more money despite difficulties. Additionally, they are gradually reintroducing the 13th month pension, remedying an earlier unfair measure, he recalled.
He highlighted that the government looks upon local governments as partners, and they would like to maintain the level of funds they have access to. This is why there is an allocation of grants worth HUF 858 billion in the relevant chapter which is 16 per cent higher than in 2020.
He observed that the solidarity tax does not mean that the state is taking funds away; it merely means that richer local governments help out poorer ones.
The head of the Prime Minister’s Office also said after the end of the state of danger they will have a more accurate picture of the magnitude of funds at the country’s disposal, and so it is to be hoped that in light of this information they will be able to decide on additional developments. The economy protection fund will create an opportunity for the government to support developments which also positively affect local governments, he added.
Government Spokesperson Alexandra Szentkirályi highlighted that if up to 31 August due to the coronavirus epidemic a tour operator cancels a trip or the epidemic frustrates a person’s travel, instead of the advance or total fee paid, it will be possible to provide vouchers.
In this case, the passenger has 15 days to state whether they accept the voucher or not. If not, the money paid must be reimbursed, she said, highlighting details of the government decree.
The Government Spokesperson added that, according to the rule of thumb, vouchers can be used until 31 August 2021; however, by mutual agreement the parties may depart from this rule.
Vouchers cannot be sold; however, they are transferable.
One of the questions from the press asserted that while on 20 June the state of danger will come to an end, with the introduction of the legal institution of ‘health care crisis situation’ the government would be given more powers than usual, and this could lead again to rule by decree. Mr Gulyás refuted another phase of rule of decree, and said some left-wing politicians had started pushing this line in the past few days. However, they should read what the law actually says, “George Soros is a lawyer by profession, but it appears he hardly allows lawyers in the pay of his organisations to state opinions that are in line with their original occupation,” he observed.
He said they will have the power to ban events, but this will not affect freedom of assembly.
They will also have the opportunity to decide about the powers exercised by the chief medical officer – delegating these either to the chief medical officer or to the government –, to order school closures in a disease control crisis situation, and to reserve separate shopping hours for the elderly, the Minister said.
In answer to another question, the Minister pointed out that the state of disease control preparedness does not allow the restriction of fundamental rights, and so any claims relating to the government’s excessive powers are without foundation. He said they will amend the disaster management legislation in accordance with the lessons learnt from the special legal order situation, in order to provide scope for flexible action for the government of the day.
Regarding the measures implemented by the government with a view to helping workers who have lost their jobs, they have raised the contingent of public works schemes by 100,000, they have made it possible for another 3,000 persons to join the army, and they have also adopted economy boosting measures where the retention of jobs or the creation of new ones is a condition of eligibility for grants. Additionally, he continued, the government has also launched retraining programmes; more than 70,000 persons have applied for IT training.
In the context of the solidarity tax payable by local governments and the withdrawal of the automobile tax from local governments, Mr Gulyás drew attention to the fact that according to the Fundamental Law, local governments are part of the state, and if something happens in a state which has negative consequences such as the present epidemic, it is not a fair demand towards the government and citizens of the state that this situation should not affect local governments.
He stressed that all data appears to suggest that due to the coronavirus epidemic the central government will forfeit more funds than local governments. He added that the state – of which local governments are also a part – will be compelled to sustain losses in the thousands of billions this year; compared with this, the HUF 34 billion in automobile tax is such a modest revenue that it affects around 1 to 2 per cent of the budgets of local governments on average.
In answer to a question, he also highlighted that for the time being student residence facilities are being kept closed because according to virology experts institutions of this type could become epicentres; however, when the opportunity arises they will relax the relevant regulations.
Mr Gulyás pointed out in answer to a question relating to the possible nationalisation of general practitioner care that no decision of any kind had been made in connection with the reform of health care. He added that while the epidemic showed how remarkably well-prepared Hungarian health care proved to be as regarded its attempts to cope with the extraordinary situation, it also highlighted the downsides of the current mode of operation as regarded the management and registration of inventories and capacities, and deficiencies in funding. The top priority is to prepare for an expected second wave of the epidemic in a way which ensures that health care is in the best possible state, the Minister said, adding that in this the minister responsible for health care and the Interior Minister heading the Operational Group will play a key role.
He also said the presence of hospital commanders is important at a time of disease control preparedness, and once the need for this state of preparedness passes, neither will there be a need for the presence of hospital commanders. The Kiskunhalas container hospital will serve as a prison hospital; however, in the event of a health care crisis, it will be deployable for the treatment of patients of the epidemic, he added.
Regarding the national coronavirus test series, he said they are already familiar with the most important findings, and these experiences could also be used in the continued containment effort. This has been Central Europe’s biggest representative survey, he pointed out.
He highlighted that at this point in time there is no projection about whether the 20 August celebrations could be held. They are making preparations; however, if the epidemic situation does not allow, these events will not be held. The government will make a decision regarding this at a later date.