Mr Orbán said in Hungary, thanks to vaccination, the gradual lifting of restrictions could begin, and we are now among the best in Europe as regards the rate of vaccination among the population and the easing of restrictive measures. We are happy to see, he continued, that Austria, too, is gradually returning to normal life, and can now be visited also by tourists.
At the meeting the parties agreed that it could take many long weeks before a European COVID passport could be introduced, and until then the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates could bring about a genuine breakthrough. Hungary is ready to enter into a bilateral agreement with Austria about this.
At the meeting, Mr Orbán and Mr Sobotka also spoke about the re-intensification of illegal migration. They stressed that the pressure of migration had only abated temporarily due to the pandemic, and within a short time, further floods of migrants could arrive in the European Union again; therefore, it is important to protect the external borders and to reinforce our defences.
