Hungary will close its borders to foreign citizens as of 1 September, Gergely Gulyás, Minister in charge of the Prime Minister’s Office, said at the Kormányinfó press conference Friday afternoon.
Hungary will close its borders to foreigners from 1 September to curb a rise in coronavirus infections and Hungarians returning from abroad will have to go into quarantine, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s cabinet chief said today.
The move comes as several European countries implement stricter COVID-19 measures.
“From September 1, foreign citizens will no longer be allowed to enter the territory of Hungary,” Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister Viktor Orbán’s cabinet chief said during a press briefing.
Exceptions for the ban on entry for foreigners would apply to military convoys and for humanitarian transit, as well as business or diplomatic travel.
He said Hungarian citizens returning from abroad must quarantine for 14 days or must present two negative tests, which they must pay for themselves.
Hungary’s government indicated that the border closure will stay in place for a month.
Schools to begin year as normal
The Ministry for Human Capacities neither recommends nor bans large-scale opening ceremonies ahead of the new school year, Gulyás said. The aim is to keep schools open so that normal education can take place, the minister added. The government has allowed for individual schools to be closed in case there is a high number of infections.
The country, which has a population of around 10 million, has around 5,500 COVID-19 cases. More than 600 people have died in Hungary due to the virus.
Hungary recorded 132 new infections today, the highest daily number since the peak of the pandemic. Hungary has had a total of 5,511 coronavirus cases and 614 deaths.
