This morning on Kossuth Rádió, Viktor Orbán confirmed that the milestone of 5 million vaccinated will be reached this weekend, which means “we have defeated the third wave.” The PM added that Hungary is more protected against COVID-19 than any Western country.
The operative board has already decided to officially end the curfew, obligatory mask-wearing and the restrictions on the business hours of shops and restaurants, the prime minister stated. Family events, such as weddings, may be organized, as well as other outdoor events for a maximum of 500 people; outdoor sports will also be allowed, he said, highlighting that music events and festivals can only be attended with a certificate of immunity. Those under 18 who have been vaccinated will also be free to visit indoor venues. The effective date of these measures will be decided later today based on the most recent vaccination numbers, PM Orbán said.
On the other hand, warning about the low vaccination rate in neighboring countries – except for Serbia – as well as the threat of new coronavirus mutations, the prime minister called for the remaining 3 million Hungarian citizens to get inoculated.
With respect to COVID vaccines, the prime minister noted that Hungary’s vaccine reserves will make a third or even a fourth jab possible if necessary. The country will probably need to rely on foreign vaccines until the second half of 2022, but the long-term plan is to be self-sufficient in this regard, and the Hungarian vaccination plant in Debrecen will serve this goal.
He also noted that the special legal order in place may be lifted hopefully this summer, while the loan moratorium will be extended until the end of August.
Commenting on Hungary’s better-than-expected GDP growth, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that after the economic protection action plan, we can now focus on the relaunch with wage increases; he said he expects “phenomenal” economic growth figures for the second quarter of the year.
On the Day of the Hungarian National Defence, the prime minister additionally mentioned that Hungary’s NATO membership does not exempt us from maintaining our own army and that our soldiers must be valued as well.