Parliament could vote for lifting the state of danger and special legal order introduced due to the coronavirus epidemic within two weeks, the Parliamentary and Strategic State Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office announced at a press conference held on Tuesday in Budapest.

Balázs Orbán said at its Monday cabinet meeting, the government decided to submit bills to Parliament which – if voted for by Members of Parliament – will result in the cessation of the state of danger declared due to the coronavirus epidemic and will end the term of the special legal order.

According to his information, one of the two bills provides for the repealing of the law on the fight against the coronavirus and the lifting of the state of danger, while the other one lays down the related transitional rules. According to their plans, Parliament could decide on the bills within two weeks, and so the state of danger and the special legal order could come to an end in mid-June, the State Secretary pointed out.

Regarding the planned transitional rules, he said the Operational Group will remain in place and will supervise the preparations for a possible second wave of the epidemic, while the extension of health insurance and family support allowances will last until 1 July. The end of free parking on public premises and the tax benefits offered for the duration of the state of danger is also 1 July, he added.

The credit debt amortisation moratorium will remain in effect until 31 December, while the system of hospital commanders will be retained. The ban on travel abroad for state employees, including police officers, soldiers and state-sector workers will be lifted with the entry into force of the legislation, while the raising of the limit of contactless payment with bank cards to HUF 15,000 will remain in effect, he listed.

Mr Orbán also said the legal institution of the ‘health care crisis situation’ “will be strengthened in the interest of enhancing preparedness in health care”, and in the future this legal institution will guarantee the legal background necessary for preparing for a possible second wave of the epidemic.

Regarding this, he said it is to be hoped that we will be able to contain any further phases of the epidemic without the need for declaring another term of special legal order. This, however, requires that, he continued, Members of Parliament vote for the transitional rules.

The politician also stressed that the government did the right thing when on 11 March it declared a state of danger; Hungary took action swiftly and concluded the first phase of the fight against the epidemic successfully both from the respect of preserving human lives and health and from the viewpoint of protecting the economy.

However, the fight against the epidemic has not come to an end, Mr Orbán laid down. He added that they would be able to adopt the rules necessary for any further containment efforts also in the absence of the authorisation of the special legal order. He took the view, however, that the first phase of the containment effort “could most certainly not have been this successful” without the special legal order.

In his words, those who claimed that the government wanted to abuse its power were not right. Those proved to be right who believed that the fight against the epidemic required firm and swift decision-making, he added.

At the same time, he called upon “the authors and disseminators of fake news”, “the Hungarian opposition, international media outlets and liberal political actors” to apologise to the Hungarian government.

In answer to a question about the possible worsening of the epidemic situation, Mr Orbán said if Parliament votes for the bills, with the aid of the institution of the health care crisis situation they will be able to adopt any further rules necessary for a successful containment effort.

In answer to another question from the press, the politician said in the event of the adoption of the bills, the system of hospital commanders will remain in place indefinitely according to the present rules.

Mr Orbán highlighted in response to a question about scaremongering that it is only applicable for the duration of the special legal order, and therefore if the special legal order is brought to an end, while the legal scenario will survive, it will not be possible to institute proceedings on such grounds.

(Prime Minister's Office/MTI)