Today, the Hungarian Parliament will debate passing a motion that would allow the government to rule by decree until the end of the Corona virus crisis. Under the proposals, any law could be suspended or overridden as long as the emergency continues, and no elections including municipal, by-elections or referenda will be allowed until the government declares the emergency over.
Members of the European Parliament are calling on the crisis team of the European Commission to make an emergency plan to protect vulnerable asylum seekers against Covid-19. On the Greek islands are now more than 42.000 asylum seekers, while camps were supposed to house 6.000 people
While we applaud the necessary moves to create social distancing and flatten the curve with the Corona virus, these must come with moves to protect vulnerable people against domestic violence. Reports of almost double the number cases of domestic violence in China should be taken as a serious warning here in Europe, particularly for women and children, who are most at risk.
We need a coordinated European response like no other to meet the challenge of this global pandemic head-on. We must focus on protecting the most vulnerable; from those at high risk, to the homeless and marginalised, to refugees who have no protection whatsoever from this pandemic in overcrowded camps with very little medical attention