Gergely Gulyás, Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, said fighting the coronavirus epidemic requires "quickness and an ability to respond", which justifies the government's reintroduction of a special legal order.
Concerning the curfew and the restrictions on public events imposed by the government, Gulyás said the authorities would be “much stricter and more consistent” in enforcing the restrictions. He said shops, restaurant and club owners had “a great responsibility”, warning that venues could be shut down if proprietors were unable to enforce the rules on their premises. He expressed hope that the new measures would be effective in slowing the spread of the virus, adding, however, that the real solution would be a vaccine.
The minister also said that the operative board in charge of coronavirus-related measures would meet at 6am daily or every other day in future, with the prime minister attending. The cabinet will meet once a week, he added.
Gulyás said the government would propose that parliament should extend the special legal order, introduced now for 15 days, by another 90 days. He appealed to the opposition to support the motion, saying that “if they do not contribute to prevention efforts they should not keep thwarting them”.