Mild Confinement in Hungary
Pursuant to Government Decree no. 71/2020 (III. 27.) (hereinafter: the “Decree”) published on 27 March 2020, certain restrictions will apply to people’s movement in Hungary from 28 March 2020 until 11 April 2020.
As a general rule, except among the persons living in the same household, everyone has to limit their social contacts with others as much as possible and a 1.5 metre distance shall be kept from others if possible (on public transportation as well).
In restaurants, cafés and similar establishments, only employees are allowed to be present, except for taking over food deliveries and takeaways. This replaces the earlier restriction which allowed people to go to these types of facilities between 6 AM and 3 PM.
It is prohibited to leave one’s home except for the numerous reasons listed in the Decree:
• work, professional obligations, economic, agricultural and forestry activity, as well as shopping in shops selling materials and tools which are essential for the aforementioned;
• use of healthcare treatment and services;
• weddings and funerals in family circle;
• shopping in food stores, pharmacies, stores selling medical aids, drugstores, markets, tobacco shops, agricultural stores, pet food and fodder supply stores and at petrol stations;
• use of hairdresser and manicure services;
• use of transport, cleaning and hygienic services;
• taking children to day-care, parental rights and obligations;
• looking after those who are unable to take care of themselves or need help (e.g. minors, senior citizens and ill persons);
• if it is absolutely necessary, handling matters which require personal presence, e.g. the use of administrative, banking, financial, insurance and postal services;
• walking and looking after pets, going to the vet;
• religious activities;
• sport exercise or going for walk alone or with members of the same household;
• use of repair services concerning vehicles, bicycles, agricultural and forestry machinery;
• use of waste management services.
Persons being at least 65 years old are only allowed to shop in food stores, drugstores, pharmacies, stores selling medical aids and at markets in the morning between 9 AM and noon while others are prohibited from entering the said facilities in this time frame. Compliance with these rules is the responsibility of the operator of the facility concerned.
The above rules will be enforced by the police with the help of military police and other law enforcement entities.
Non-compliance with the restrictions is a administrative offence (in Hungarian: “szabálysértés”) and punishable by a fine in the amount of HUF 5,000 – HUF 500,000 (approximately EUR 14 – EUR 1,411).