Action has been taken due to the violation of compulsory home quarantine regulations in 1,200 instances to date, 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 Thursday.

Róbert Kiss said the decrease in the number of compulsory home quarantine orders in effect is continuing. In the past 24 hours, 536 persons have been ordered to retire to compulsory home quarantine, and at present 10,942 orders are in force. In the past 24 hours, the rules of compulsory home quarantine have been violated in 18 instances. Since 12 March, this number has risen to 1,199.

He also said for the next two weekends municipalities will again receive authorisation to tighten the restrictions on movement if they believe this is necessary. He added that the rules of restrictions on movement will remain in force until 3 May.

According to the latest decree published in Magyar Közlöny [Hungarian Gazette], during the next two weekends, municipalities will be allowed to determine more stringent rules of conduct related to the restrictions on movement in their settlements in local ordinances, he detailed.

He also said from Thursday 6.00 a.m., cross-border commuting has been authorised on the Serbian-Hungarian border; Hungarian and Serbian nationals working or cultivating land on the other side of the border can use the Röszke, Tompa and Hercegszántó border crossing stations. He indicated that from Friday the authorities would also open the Hegyeshalom II land border crossing station for the entry and exit of cross-border commuters and agricultural vehicles every day between 7.00 a.m. and 10.00 a.m. and between 5.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m.

In answer to the question as to why the police blocked the dirt roads in the region of Jánossomorja in Western Hungary, the Lt. Colonel said after the state of danger had been declared, Hungary had reinstated border controls on the Schengen interior borders. Partially in order to prevent cargo vehicles from entering the country unchecked, he added.

In Western Hungary, there are 78 land and two railway border crossing points, of which seven are being kept open, subject to border controls, for passenger and cargo traffic, and another six for passenger traffic. The others have been physically sealed. At the same time, the Lt. Colonel asked for the patience of those living by the Western border due to this measure, and asked them to use the next nearest border crossing point.

He also mentioned that at present there were some minor delays in incoming traffic at Röszke.

Mr Kiss reported that in the past 24 hours, the police have taken action against individuals violating the rules of the restrictions on movement in 1,134 instances, including 483 cautions, 350 onsite fines and 301 prosecutions. Criminal proceedings have been instituted against 70 persons due to scaremongering, 26 persons due to the threat of public danger, 80 persons due to fraud and 15 persons due to the violation of disease control regulations; the police have questioned 50 persons to date.

In answer to a question, he said in Heves County no criminal proceedings have been instituted due to the violation of disease control regulations, and the police have likewise not been required to take action due to the violation of the rules relating to the opening hours of retail stores. In the county, due to the violation of compulsory home quarantine regulations, four persons have been cautioned, two onsite fines have been imposed, and six persons have been prosecuted, while due to the violation of the rules related to the restrictions on movement, the police have taken action in 417 instances, including 115 cautions, 95 onsite fines and 207 prosecutions.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)