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Austria may opt to close border on increased refugees

Xinhua, September 30, 2015 Adjust font size:

Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner on Tuesday said border closure would be an option in case of congested refugees in Austria on their way to Germany.

The comments followed unpredictable scenarios as a huge number of migrants are making their way through Austria into Germany, Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported.

About 10,000 migrants have arrived in Germany each day, with indications from multiple sources that its authorities are increasingly overwhelmed by the numbers.

Concerns are mounting in Austria that Germany may finally close its borders to migrants permanently.

Mikl-Leitner said should the migrants heading to Germany become stuck in Austria, the only option available to her government will be shutting down the borders.

She said her government is however in close contact with German authorities to monitor the situation.

The minister also called for a European solution to the problem.

Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann also acknowledged Tuesday that tight border restrictions by Germany could create a backlog of migrants in Austria.

Faymann added he did not believe Germany would close its border totally after a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the weekend. Endi