The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has given today’s controversial special powers to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
With a government decree, the right-wing national politician lifted the coronavirus-related emergency that he had imposed in mid-March just before midnight yesterday. With this, a law became effective which the parliament had passed on Tuesday and which overrides the CoV law.
This law of the end of March gave the Hungarian head of government extensive and originally unlimited special powers. Orban, who tends to adopt an authoritarian style of government, has received much criticism at home and abroad.
Several edicts appeared
Also in the night, several Orban decrees appeared in the Hungarian Official Journal regulating how to deal with the pandemic after the special powers have been lifted. Instead of the emergency, there is now a pandemic in Hungary. So there is still a mask requirement in public transport and shops.
The personnel must wear a mask in the interior of restaurants. Events with more than 500 participants are prohibited. The previous regulation, which fixed shopping times for seniors, is no longer applicable. The time between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. was reserved for people over 65 in the shops.
Human rights activists criticize, however, that Orban has secured certain powers to govern through the back door. A law also passed on Tuesday provides the government with the opportunity to declare a health emergency. This would apply for six months, the government could extend it. Parliament’s consent is not required to impose this emergency or to prolong it.
