Hungary still demands that people entering the country go into compulsory home quarantine if they plan to stay. Hungarian citizens are not exempt from this rule. Traveling through the country is permitted for those headed to and arriving from the Western European countries.
The Hungarian Operational Group set up to organize the defense against the coronavirus pandemic is constantly monitoring the epidemiological data of neighboring countries. As krónika.ro news portal has learned from Lieutenant Colonel Róbert Kiss, Hungarian police regularly consult with the authorities of neighboring states so that cross-border movement can gradually return to its normal flow. “If the Operational Group – based on the neighboring countries’ epidemiological data and the effectiveness of their measures – determines that restrictions can be eased, it will propose the repeal of mandatory home quarantine,” stated Kiss.
Meanwhile, the Wizz Air flight scheduled twice a week between the Transylvanian city of Marosvásárhely (Târgu Mureş, Neumarkt) and Budapest has been very popular. The director of the Transilvania Airport of Marosvásárhely, András Peti, informed the abovementioned news portal that from June 1 there will again be daily flights to Budapest. The director also noted that passengers using the Transilvanian airport are mostly traveling to and from Western European countries.
Wizz Air PR consultant Zoltán Laky told Krónika that the airline at the moment is content with the utilization rate of the Marosvásárhely-Budapest flight, and there is also hope that as restrictions are eased, there will be a gradual increase in the number of travelers. Since May 1, the airline has introduced stricter measures on its flights to protect the health of passengers. Wizz Air is constantly in touch with national authorities and adapts to the recommendations of both national and international organizations, the consultant added.
Since this Thursday, all the crossings points of the Hungarian-Romanian border have been opened. According to a joint communiqué of the two states’ border police offices, people setting out to Western European destinations and those heading back to Romania from Western states are allowed to travel across Hungary. Transit has been granted to Romanian citizens traveling with personal vehicles, buses and minibuses if they plan on boarding a flight at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport or if they fly into the airport but continue their journey to Romania. Passengers and drivers of cars and buses traveling through Hungary do not have to go into home isolation. Nevertheless, they are allowed to stop on Hungarian territory only if absolutely necessary and only at the designated gas stations or rest stops.
Romanian border policed reported that as of Thursday morning passengers crossing through Hungary can use the Csanád (Cenad)-Kiszombor, Nagylak (Nădlac) I and II, Tornya (Turnu)-Battonya, Gyula-Gyulavarsánd (Vărşand), Nagyszalonta (Salonta)-Méhkerék, Bors (Borş)-Ártánd, Érmihályfalva (Valea lui Mihai)-Nyírábrány, Csanálos (Urziceni)-Vállaj, and Pete (Petea)-Csengersima border crossings. The border crossing at Létavértes (Leta Mare)-Székelyhíd can be used only by cross-border commuters. Travellers will have their temperature taken and must also fill out an obligatory epidemiological declaration.
The border crossing at Nagylak has been overwhelmed recently, with people having to wait several hours to enter Romania, and some spontaneous protests did occur. According to official data, more than 118,000 people and more than 66,000 vehicles have crossed the Romanian-Hungarian border in the last five days.
Title image: All border crossings between Romania and Hungary are open as of Thursday
Source: MTI
