Regulations banning rough sleepers from public areas, effective from Monday, are aimed at “saving lives”, a state secretary of the human resources ministry told public television M1.
The new rules are instrumental in preventing homeless people from freezing in public spaces in winter and helped all those living in the street to homeless shelters, Bence Rétvári said. He insisted that “there have always been” enough beds at those facilities.
Homeless facilities will help clients to “social services, clothing, (regular) jobs or participation in public works schemes, or training”, the official said, adding that “it is obvious that the way out of homelessness is through these temporary shelters”.
According to Rétvári, the government is spending 9 billion forints (EUR 28m) on homeless services and is in cooperation with “several hundred” charity organisations.
Rétvári said that the new rules were necessary because “earlier regulations were unsuitable to eliminate homelessness”.
via MTI