Hungary emergency measures ‘went too far’ – EU’s von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed concern that coronavirus restriction measures taken by Hungary go “too far” and insisted they should be time-limited and subject to scrutiny.

On Monday, Hungary’s parliament granted Prime Minister Viktor Orban an open-ended right to rule by decree. It also introduced jail sentences for anyone hindering measures to curb the spread of the virus or spreading false information about the pandemic, Reuters said.

“I am concerned that certain measures go too far and I am particularly concerned about the situation in Hungary,” von der Leyen told reporters on Thursday.

“These emergency measures have to be limited to what is necessary, they have to be strictly proportionate because they have to be adequate in this situation,” she said. The measures “should not last indefinitely and, very importantly, they should be subject to regular scrutiny,” the Commission’s chief added.