Hungary - Slovenia border region

• Author: Viaggi, Raffaele; Rubio, Jean; Peyrony, Jean
• Pages: 41-42

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF BORDER-RELATED MEASURE S TAKEN BY MS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19

CASE STUDIES

41

Hungary – Slovenia border

region

Border controls and cross-

border mobility

(Reduced crossings points, type

of controls, congestion, CB pub-

lic transport…)

The border between Hungary and Slovenia was closed at midnight

on the 12th of March. First it was reopened on the 2nd of April, but

with restrictions, and was closed again on the 16thof April. The

control of body temperature was not common, border authorities

rather controlled the papers certifying the reason for traveling (for

example land use, employment or individual permissions granted

such as caring for an elderly relative). As there is almost no public

transport at the Hungarian-Slovenian border, that was not an is-

sue.

CB coordination and dialogue

during the crisis and the de-

containment phase

(Evolution in border controls and

effects of the lifting of border

controls)

The decisions were made jointly on local and national level, but

local decisions represent a smaller proportion (about 10%), local

stakeholders could mostly express their opinions in connection

with the opening of smaller border crossing points. The involved

stakeholders were mostly the municipalities from both sides of

the border. It was a very quick and good communication between

the two sides.

Also, solidarity was present on governmental level as the Hungar-

ian government sent equipment to the hospital of Murska Sobota

(SI).

Impact on cross-border

workers

(Remote working and taxation,

social security, unemploy-

ment…)

The movement of cross-border workers was problematic only at

the very beginning. After a couple of days, they were finally al-

lowed to cross the border. Unemployment resulting from the bor-

der closure was not reported. Remote working was introduced in

many cases, albeit this solution was not possible everywhere (due

to the type of work or the lack of proper infrastructure).

Impact on the users of cross-

border public services (CPS)

The level and number of real cross-border public services are rel-

atively low in this border section and thus the impact was not

measurable.