The Operational Group is asking residents of Budapest to observe the rules of restrictions on movement because this is “our common affair” in the interest of slowing down the epidemic, 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 Monday.

Róbert Kiss added that with the improvement in weather conditions, residents of the capital are violating the rules of restrictions on movement in ever larger numbers. He said, compared with Saturday, on Sunday the number of related police measures had doubled: on Sunday alone, staff members of the Budapest Constabulary were compelled to take action in 614 instances. Violators were cautioned in 574 cases, onsite fines were imposed in 24 instances, and 16 persons were prosecuted.

Regarding national data, he said the police had taken action in 4,292 instances, including 3,102 cautions, 532 onsite fines and 648 prosecutions.

During the management of the epidemic, police officers are required to serve longer hours. A government decree in effect from Monday will regulate the “special rules relating to service hours” for those working in law enforcement and defence, Mr Kiss said. He pointed out that the police monitor compliance with compulsory home quarantine orders, border traffic, as well as compliance with the rules of restrictions on movement in public areas and the restrictions on the opening hours of stores.

The government decree also lays down that infringement procedures must be conducted via means of telecommunication even in cases which previously required personal presence. If this is not technically possible, the procedure must be suspended for three months, he said.

Regarding the measure making parking free, he stressed that this measure is “not an invitation to public areas,” but intends to facilitate the use of cars for the administration of essential affairs.

The latest government decree lays down the tasks related to international criminal cooperation, and contains special provisions related to the implementation of custody, arrest, detention and imprisonment, he said.

He pointed out in connection with the large number of Romanian guest workers appearing at the Nagylak border crossing station on their way to Western Europe that they will be allowed to enter the country if they can prove beyond doubt that the country of destination will let them in. In the territory of Hungary, they are only allowed to proceed via the designated humanitarian routes, and are only allowed to stop at the designated rest areas.

He said there are delays in border traffic only on the entry side at Röszke.

In connection with the epidemic, the police instituted 159 criminal procedures, including 37 due to fraud, 11 due to the violation of disease control regulations, 24 due to the threat of public danger, and 45 due to scaremongering, he said.

Compulsory home quarantine has been ordered for 14,325 individuals, and the police have checked compliance 112,729 times.

Regarding the violation of the rules related to the restrictions on the opening hours of shops, 44 persons were cautioned, onsite fines were imposed in 27 cases and 64 persons were prosecuted.

In answer to a journalist’s question, he said, weekend experiences show that they must pay more attention to popular hiking destinations and public areas which could become group gathering venues. From now on, they will monitor these in a targeted and recurring manner.

He repeated that the Operational Group would make a recommendation regarding the rules connected to restrictions on movement on Wednesday. In answer to the question as to whether territorial restrictions can be expected or not, he said if data suggests that different measures are required in some areas, they will make their recommendation accordingly.

Mr Kiss also highlighted that the senior police management are in daily communication with the police forces of neighbouring countries with respect to the maintenance of transit traffic as the goal is not to leave a single country without supplies. To this end, they are finetuning their border-crossing protocols every day in order to facilitate international transit traffic. Compliance with the rules is fundamentally a common interest, and therefore the transit corridors are monitored on an ongoing basis, as are the rest areas designated for those travelling along these routes.

In the context of the monitoring of compulsory home quarantine, he said the police are able to verify the quarantined person’s identity with the aid of mobile devices. At the same time, he asked persons required to undergo compulsory home quarantine to display the quarantine warning in a well-visible place, thereby facilitating police checks. If it is displayed in the window, and then the blinds are pulled down, that frustrates police action, he warned.

Regarding the violation of the rules of compulsory home quarantine, he said if a violation is committed by a confirmed patient, it qualifies as a crime, while if it is committed by a Hungarian national who has just returned from abroad, but is not a confirmed coronavirus patient, it amounts to a disease control infringement.

(MTI)