Austrian border town overwhelmed by influx of asylum seekers: mayor

The mayor of the Austrian town of Nickelsdorf, a primary entry point for asylum seekers via Hungary, has raised alarm over the massive influx of people into his town, Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported Friday.

In a letter addressed to Austrian chancellor Werner Faymann and Minister of the Interior Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Nickelsdorf mayor Gerhard Zapfl spoke of an "escalation" in the asylum seeker situation in his town, and that a "true mass migration" was occurring, causing "great concern and fear" among the local population.

"The situation has changed dramatically. Thus these many people who are living in our town limits are becoming a serious problem," he wrote in the letter.

He also claimed the developments had been foreseeable, but that political decision-makers at the federal level had not implemented adequate counter-measures.

The letter was also signed by mayor of neighboring town Zurndorf, Werner Friedl, who is also a member of the Social Democratic party.

They urged the federal leaders to "urgently take appropriate measures to defuse the situation and to not endanger social peace within Austria."

Most recent reports have the number of asylum seekers that have entered into or passed through Nickelsdorf via Hungary at almost 16,000 since Monday. Endit