Hungary’s Govt to Discuss Declaring ‘State of Crisis’ over Migrant Influx Next week

Hungary's Interior Ministry is proposing to declare a "state of crisis due to mass migration" as of 15 September, in line with recently adopted tougher border control legislation, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The proposal will be discussed at  a cabinet meeting on 15 September, the newswire quoted a Hungarian government spokesman as saying at a news conference.

Meanwhile, Hungary's army has begun exercises to prepare for a possible future role in guarding the country’s border with Serbia to try to stem the migrant influx, the BBC reported.

The Hungarian authorities have been told to expect up to 40,000 more migrants in the coming days, as teh country races to complete a razor-wire fence that is expected to prevent migrants and refugees from entering.

More than 160,000 migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Asia and Africa have entered Hungary from the south this year, heading northwest towards richer EU member states such as Germany and Sweden.