Refugee crisis - Hungary not ruling out deploying army, UK to rethink international aid spending

Hungary may deploy its military to stem the relentless influx of refugees, saying that the police would be deployed after the 15th of September and that the military may follow if this proposal is approved in Parliament.

Hungary is maintaining a hard line on asylum seeking migrants, standing in stark contrast to the warm welcome being given to those seeking a fresh start in Germany.

Hundreds more migrants and refugees set off on foot in Hungary on Saturday, after the country insisted that there will be no more bus rides to the border, although some migrants were allowed to board trains taking them there.

The latest exodus followed frantic scenes at Budapest’s main railway station on Saturday. When those who had piled onto a train discovered that it was not, in fact, going to Vienna, they took matters into their own hands and headed off to the highway.

Hungary, the main entry point into Europe’s borderless Schengen zone for migrants, has vowed to seal its southern border with a new, high fence – by the middle of this month.

Hungarian officials have portrayed the crisis as a defence of Europe’s prosperity, identity and “Christian values” against an influx of mainly Muslim migrants.

“We are going to deploy the police, then if we get permission from parliament, we will deploy the army, and after September 15, step by step, we will control the entire border,” said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

“But nobody can tell when total and secure border control will be established. One thing is for sure. We will do everything to make sure it comes to fruition. I am personally committed to it.”

Meanwhile, British Chancellor George Osbourne also called for a fundamental rethink of how his country is using extra money from the UK's international aid budget to deal with the "crisis on our doorstep".

Prime Minister Cameron has promised to take in thousands more refugees from Syria and will be making a Commons statement on the refugee crisis on Monday.

Osbourne would not confirm how many people the UK would take in, but said it would look at bringing refugees directly from Syria, rather than those who had already travelled to the EU.