On 20 March 2020, Balázs Orbán, Parliamentary and Strategic State Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office told the Hungarian news agency MTI that the government hopes that parliamentary groups in the largest possible numbers will support the extension of the state of danger declared due to the coronavirus situation.

He added that if this does not happen, the government will be unable to maintain the measures which it has implemented with a view to reinforcing health safety and protecting the economy.

He said, pursuant to the Fundamental law, the government is only able to declare a state of danger as a special legal order for 15 days.

Following this, the extension of the state of danger as well as the extension of the already implemented measures fall within Parliament’s competence, Mr Orbán said.

Next week, Parliament will have to decide about the extension of the state of danger as part of an urgent procedure, if possible in departure from the normal House Rules which requires a four-fifths majority, he added.

The government expects a rise in the number of infected persons, and is making every effort to prepare the care system for an increase in the number of patients who will have a severe reaction to the infection, he said, observing that the government has already completed the related preparations.

Within the framework of mathematical and virology modelling, they are continuously reviewing the measures that might be necessary, and are also gathering international experiences, he stressed, adding that the government is ready to take further measures accordingly when the epidemic enters a new phase.

(Prime Minister's Office/MTI)