Plea for 'united Europe' on migration

Hungary's prime minister has called for a "united European stance" on migration at the start of a week of intense diplomatic activity.

Viktor Orban urged consensus, saying migrants were "breaking the doors" and "millions" could reach Europe. Germany and France want migrants shared out more evenly across the EU. EU interior ministers are to meet today, with leaders convening for an extraordinary summit the following day.

The head of EU border protection agency Frontex yesterday urged more support from member states, warning that "the speed and dynamics of the refugee influx continues to be exceptionally high".

"What I can say with certainty is that we need more personnel support from countries -- people we can deploy on the spot, and we need them now," said Fabrice Leggeri.

Meanwhile, Hungary's parliament approved with a two-thirds majority yesterday giving the army and police sweeping new powers to prevent illegal migrants crossing the border, including giving troops the right to use weapons.

Eastern European ministers gathering today will once again voice their opposition to compulsory migrant quotas, as countries creaking under the strain of a steady stream of refugees struggle to agree on common action.

The talks in Prague between the foreign ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Latvia with their counterpart from Luxembourg, which holds the EU presidency, will try to address the deep divide between European countries over how to share out some 120,000 refugees.

Turkish volunteers living in Berlin give away water bottles and snacks to migrants queuing at the compound outside the Berlin Office of Health and Social Affairs for their registration. Photo: Reuters

EU ministers are considering a watered down plan to relocate 120,000 refugees throughout the bloc, which drops binding quotas and leaves Hungary out of the scheme, sources said yesterday.

Germany's interior minister yesterday urged Europe to pick up refugees directly from crisis regions, to help them bypass traffickers who charge huge sums for dangerous journeys to the continent, reports AFP.

Volunteers clean up a train station in Tovarnik, Croatia. Photo: Reuters

Finland is experiencing its biggest influx of refugees since the Russian Revolution with hundreds of migrants arriving each day via Sweden, but their presence is angering some in the recession-hit country.

The Hungarian government placed advertisements in the Lebanese press yesterday warning of "the strongest possible action" against anyone attempting to cross its borders illegally.

Poland's foreign minister yesterday said Warsaw was able to take in more refugees than its share of over 9,000 under the European Union quota plan but would like to see the bloc's borders sealed.