Monthly newsletter Hungary – March 2022

Hungary supports sanctions against Russia

The Hungarian government condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and, as in the past, took a clear stance on preserving Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The country supports the European Union's sanctions package against Russia in its entirety, which also includes the exclusion of Russia from the SWIFT system.

On March 1, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also announced in a press conference that Hungary supports the admission of Ukraine to the European Union as it supports every measure that promotes peace. In recent days, the government has offered the conflicting parties Hungary as a possible location for negotiations.

Humanitarian support

Hungary's humanitarian aid in the conflict is primarily aimed at neighboring Carpathian Ukraine, where a Hungarian minority of around 150,000 people lives. In the past few days, dozens of tons of food and thousands of liters of fuel have been delivered to the southwestern Ukrainian region. The Hungarian government announced that it would grant entry to every Ukrainian refugee, provide assistance and, if necessary, recognize temporary refugee status. In addition, those seeking protection from Ukraine can travel by train in Hungary free of charge.

Meanwhile, the Hungarian armed forces began deploying troop contingents near the Hungarian-Ukrainian border on February 25 to ensure not only humanitarian aid but also the safety of the Hungarian population.

No military assistance

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó have so far opposed any military support for the Ukrainian army. On February 28, Szijjártó declared that no arms shipments from other countries would be allowed to enter Ukraine via Hungary. "The transport could turn both our country and the Hungarians in Carpathian Ukraine into a military target. Under no circumstances should Hungary be involved in the war" - said Szijjártó.

Economic consequences

Within the first five days after the Russian declaration of war, the Hungarian forint rapidly lost value and reached a temporary historic low of €1/382HUF on March 2nd (still €1/356HUF on February 22nd). Hungary's energy security, however, is secured because the sanctions will not affect the energy sector, emphasized Viktor Orbán.

News about the presidential election

Katalin Novák’s nomination confirmed

Viktor Orbán announced in December that he would nominate Katalin Novák for the post of Hungarian president after János Áder's term expires. On February 28, Fidesz-KDNP officially submitted the required recommendation for their candidacy. If Katalin Novák is actually elected, she would be the country's first female head of state. Parliament will decide on this on March 10th. For a more detailed portrait of Katalin Novák, we recommend the following article in the Daily mail.

State of the Union Address

On February 12, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave his annual “State of the Nation Address.” Orbán highlighted the successes of the Hungarian government's policies in recent years, but described the last two years as "difficult years, marked by a pandemic, waves of mass migration, an energy crisis, imperial outbursts of anger from Brussels, the cold breath of the Cold War on his neck and the worrying shadow of a war over Eastern and Central Europe. In this situation, the aim was to stimulate the economy again, create jobs, support and care for young people, families and the elderly."

Orbán's speech received a lot of attention in several German media outlets, particularly because of a supposedly implied “Huxit” (EU exit). The relevant dpa report was simply adopted without further editing. Such a threat cannot be found in the original tone of the speech, said State Secretary Zoltán Kovács, who is responsible for international communications.
Make up your own mind, you can read the “State of the Nation Address” from February 12, 2022 in English at the following link: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “State of the Nation” address.

Corona policy in February

Omicron wave

Omicron is now the dominant mutation of the coronavirus in Hungary. With regard to corona deaths, the “fifth wave” experienced a low point at the end of January with an average of fewer than 60 deaths per day. However, the death rate increased again at the beginning of February and has since then stagnated at around 100 corona deaths per day. At the same time, the incidences fell over the course of February. Around 3,600 people infected with the coronavirus are currently being treated in hospital, 136 of whom are on ventilation - so the hospitalization rate has fallen compared to the end of January.

vaccination status

To date, 65.6% of Hungarians have been vaccinated and 63.3% are now fully vaccinated. More than a third of Hungarians (39.1%) have already received the booster vaccination. Tens of thousands of Hungarians, especially older ones, opted for the fourth vaccination.

Proof of immunity becomes a vaccination certificate

The government originally decided that the “immunity card” would be converted into a “vaccination card” from February 15th. The ID card, which was previously valid even after only one vaccination or after recovering from Covid disease, loses its validity if a person does not receive the third vaccination within six months of the second vaccination. This also applies to people who have recovered. For those under 18, two vaccinations are sufficient. At the beginning of February, the government announced that it would extend the expiry date of old ID cards until May 1st.

restrictions in the country

Unvaccinated people are still prohibited from attending major events. In Budapest, unlike the rest of Hungary, visiting thermal baths is subject to showing proof of vaccination. No vaccination certificate is necessary to visit shops, restaurants, museums, etc. or to cultural events with reservable seats. Masks are required on public transport as well as in shops, theaters, museums, etc.

Based on the data from the (controversial) “Corona Severity Index” it can be seen that Hungary has been in effect for around a year
operates a significantly more liberal policy of measures than Germany or Austria.

Germans can enter Hungary by land without any restrictions. Entry by air requires the digital EU-COVID vaccination certificate or a PCR test in English or Hungarian, which must not be older than 72 hours. As before, business travelers can enter the country without being tested. For the current status of the entry regulations, we always recommend taking a look at the website Foreign Office.

To the source:

The German-Hungarian Institute for European Cooperation is intended to provide a forum for academic, scientific and political dialogue between Germany and Hungary and to familiarize decision-makers and interested specialist audiences from both countries with topics, debates, processes, thought patterns and ideas from the other country. The aim is to achieve greater understanding, communication and constructive cooperation by objectifying the German-Hungarian discourse and thus renew our Europe together.

We would like to support this goal and publish excerpts with the kind permission of the authors. The complete issue can be found here as a PDF. The institute's website you can reach here.