Hungary plans to replace its current lockdown, which has imposed a blanket curfew on the population, with a more fine-tuned version from early May, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.
Orban told state radio that he expected the economy to recover rapidly from the effects of the pandemic. “I am not among the most optimistic people, but neither am I a pessimist,” he told state radio. “I expect a fast recovery.”
The month-long nationwide lockdown has destroyed tens of thousands of jobs in the country, and Orban said re-establishing these was his top priority. From next month, restrictions will be gradually eased to bring the economy back to normal as soon as possible, with continued limitations for the elderly, the sick and those living in big cities who face a disproportionate risk, he added.
On Friday, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga announced that Hungary and China have signed a loan agreement to finance the construction of a railway link between Budapest and Belgrade, Serbia, according to Reuters.