Those engaged in agricultural and forestry activities who own landed property on both sides of the border do not need a negative test to enter Slovenia, 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 Wednesday.

Lt. Colonel Róbert Kiss said pursuant to the Slovenian government’s decision, there is no need for a negative PCR test upon entry into the country if those seeking entry own landed property on both sides of the border and the purpose of border crossing is engagement in agricultural and forestry activities.

Additionally, those who commute daily and hold employment certificates, persons who stay in the country for transit purposes for maximum 12 hours, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, and persons engaged in educational, scientific and research activities are exempted from compulsory home quarantine for ten days. Those arriving in the country for urgent elective procedures together with accompanying family members as well as persons arriving in the country to verifiably attend urgent personal or business administration procedures who are not staying for more than 48 hours are also exempted from quarantine.

In this context, Mr Kiss asked those travelling abroad to inform themselves before setting out about whether they will be able to enter the country of destination.

He also reported that the government is evaluating the latest epidemic data at its Wednesday meeting and will decide on the maintenance of the temporary border controls reinstated on the Schengen internal border sections. Gergely Gulyás, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office will inform members of the public and the press about the cabinet’s decisions on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the police took action in 36 instances against persons due to failure to comply with the protective measures or the disruption of public services. On Tuesday, police officers were required to take action in 15 instances because people did not or did not correctly wear face masks on board public transport, including 12 cautions and 3 prosecutions.

He specifically mentioned that on Tuesday afternoon at Örs vezér tér in Budapest, police officers were compelled to take action due to the fact that 2 persons refused to put on face masks on a public transport vehicle despite the warnings of other passengers.

They took action against persons failing to observe the rules relating to the wearing of face masks in shops, public institutions and other places identified in the government decree in 21 instances, including 13 cautions, 4 onsite fines and 4 prosecutions.

Since the entry into force of the government decree on protective measures last Monday, the police have been required to take action in almost five hundred instances, including 407 cautions, 43 onsite fines and 49 prosecutions.

On Tuesday, they performed 12,127 onsite checks in connection with people required to retire to compulsory home quarantine. In the past 24 hours, 2,742 quarantine orders have been issued, including in 794 cases upon entry into the country. At present, 24,121 compulsory home quarantine orders are in effect. The number of those who have downloaded the mobile phone application with which the police are able to verify electronically whether the rules relating to quarantine are being observed has increased. At present, 1,574 persons are using the application.

So far 472 criminal procedures have been instituted in connection with the epidemic, including 143 due to scaremongering, 31 due to the threat of public endangerment, 138 due to fraud, and 28 due to the violation of disease control regulations, he listed, adding that 89 suspects have been questioned to date.

Regarding border traffic, he said in cargo traffic on the entry side there is a three-hour wait at Röszke and Tompa, while in passenger traffic also on the entry side travellers should expect a two-hour wait at Beregsurány.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)