The government decided to reregulate the conditions making entry for nationals of the Visegrád countries easier, the deputy head of the duty centre of the Operational Group responsible for the fight against the coronavirus epidemic said at an online press conference held on Monday.

Lt. Colonel Róbert Kiss said the effect of the entry conditions applicable to nationals of the Visegrád countries expired on 30 September, and the Operational Group decided it was necessary to reregulate them.

Hungarian nationals and their family members entering the territory of Hungary from the Czech Republic, Poland or Slovakia who booked accommodation in one of the V4 countries before the entry into force of the regulation are only required to present one negative PCR test result in order to be relieved of the obligation of disease control observation, he highlighted.

Similarly, Czech, Polish and Slovak nationals, too, will be able to travel to Hungary under less stringent conditions until 1 November if they have one negative PCR test result and booked accommodation in Hungary for at least one day in October prior to the entry into force of the regulation.

The government decree – which was published in Magyar Közlöny [Hungarian Gazette] – will take effect on Tuesday.

The Lt. Colonel said due to the disruption of public services and non-compliance with the protective measures in effect on the premises of shops and public institutions the police took action in 64 instances during the weekend in total.

On public transport the police were required to take action in 24 instances due to the non-wearing or incorrect wearing of face masks. 22 passengers were cautioned, while another 2 were prosecuted.

The police cautioned 33 persons due to non-compliance with the protective measures on the premises of shops and public institutions, imposed onsite fines in the case of 4 persons, and prosecuted 3 persons.

In total, the police have taken action against persons failing to comply with the protective measures introduced on 21 September in 759 instances. In most cases, in 635 instances, the police cautioned the violators, he said.

At the weekend, the police also checked persons who entered the territory of the country in passenger traffic for transit purposes. The police took action against persons violating the rules relating to transit through the territory of the country in 121 instances.

Due to the non-observance of the rules relating to music and dance events and the opening hours of catering establishments, the police were compelled to issue four cautions at the weekend in Sárospatak, Lenti and Komárom-Esztergom County. At the venues checked, there were persons present on the premises who were not the employees of the catering establishments beyond 11.00 p.m., Mr Kiss added.

Regarding compulsory home quarantine, he said on Sunday the police carried out 11,290 checks. During the weekend, 3,906 persons were subjected to this restrictive measure, including 1,861 persons crossing the border. At present, 20,199 compulsory home quarantine orders are in effect, and 1,041 of those under the effect of this restriction agreed to the electronic monitoring of compliance with the rules by the authority.

In the context of border traffic, he said traffic is smooth at most border crossing points. However, in cargo traffic on the entry side there is a three-hour wait at Röszke and Tompa as well as a two-hour wait at Csanádpalota, while in passenger traffic on the entry side there is a two-hour delay at Beregsurány.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)