Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (C) votes with other representatives about the government's bill on the protection against the new coronavirus COVID-19 at the plenary session of the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest, Hungary on March 30, 2020.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been granted the right to rule by decree for an indefinite period of time, and these new sweeping powers are raising concerns in Europe.

The Hungarian parliament approved a bill Monday that allows Orban to rule the country by decree, meaning that he does not need to consult with other lawmakers to make decisions. The legislation, which came into force Tuesday, has been justified as an emergency response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

As a result, the bill criminalizes any attempts to stop the Hungarian government fighting the outbreak, including the spreading of false information, which could be punishable with a prison sentence of up to five years.

"The Hungarian government's primary concern during the coronavirus pandemic is the protection of human lives," a spokesperson for the Hungarian government told CNBC via email Tuesday.

However, the bill has sparked criticism elsewhere in Europe.

"Covid-19 requires adequate responses. But they must not endanger rule of law, disempower democratic institutions or put fundamental rights at risk. We need to overcome this together, not rule through decrees," Michael Roth, Germany's minister for European affairs, said Monday.

Orban has been in the spotlight over recent years for his government's increasing oversight of the judiciary, media and foreign universities.