Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he would announce new measures on Saturday to fight the economic fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic, adding that they would take effect on Jan. 1.

Hungary's economy took a big hit in the pandemic, and the government expects gross domestic output to shrink by about six per cent in 2020 followed by a modest rebound in 2021.

“Tomorrow morning I would like to announce what next steps we will introduce from January 1 in the economic action plan designed to avert the economic crisis caused by the virus,” Orban said in an interview with state radio mr1.

He added that even with the economic plans on track he expected a long ideological fight with the European Union over matters like immigration and gender equality to continue, Reuters reported.