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Hungary says Europe is 'defenceless' because of uncontrolled flow of migrants

Europe's cross-border train services could be scrapped if the Schengen system collapses in the face of the migrant crisis, the head of Germany's national railway has claimed.

It comes as Hungary's foreign minister warned that terror threats will increase and public safety will deteriorate unless the European Union builds a 'strong southern defence line' to stop the flow of migrants.

The borderless travel zone has come under increasing strain in recent months, with several countries imposing at least partial border checks in the wake of the migrant influx, as they are allowed to do temporarily.

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The head of Germany's national railway is warning that cross-border train services could be scrapped if Europe's open-borders system collapses

The chief executive of German railway operator Deutsche Bahn, Ruediger Grube, was quoted Tuesday as telling the Bild daily: 'The freedom of movement of the Schengen agreement is the basis of our international train service.'

The borderless travel zone has come under increasing strain in recent months, with several countries imposing at least partial border checks in the wake of the migrant influx

EU leaders announced teams of border guards to be deployed in order to stop migrants leaving Greece for the rest of the EU

He added that 'if borders are closed, the railway will have to discontinue connections to foreign countries. The checks and delays that would then be incurred would not be sustainable.'

It comes after EU leaders announced teams of border guards to be deployed in order to stop migrants leaving Greece for the rest of the EU, effectively cutting the country off from the rest of the continent.

The scheme – which effectively suspends Greece's membership of the Schengen zone – was designed during an emergency meeting to finally halt the free flow of migrants arriving by boat into mainland Europe.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker backed a proposal to strengthen security on the Greek/Macedonian border to create a 'second line of defence' against migration.

More than 50 guards from other European countries have already been sent to Macedonia, which is not a member of the EU, to strengthen its border with Greece.

More than 50 guards from other European countries have already been sent to Macedonia, which is not a member of the EU, to strengthen its border with Greece

Hungary warned that terror threats will increase and public safety will deteriorate unless the European Union builds a 'strong southern defense line' to stop the flow of migrants

Hungary last year built fences on its southern borders with Serbia and Croatia, preventing migrants or refugees from entering the country

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday that 368 people died trying to cross the Mediterranean last month

Hungary's foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said Tuesday after a meeting with Croatian counterpart Miro Kovac that if the line of defence cannot be created at Greece's southern border, then it must come about at Greece's northern borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria.

Szijjarto said Europe is 'currently defenceless' because of the uncontrolled flow of migrants and that 'we agree with all those who say the external borders must be fortified.'

Hungary last year built fences on its southern borders with Serbia and Croatia, preventing migrants or refugees from entering the country from the Balkans after construction was completed by mid-October.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday that 368 people died trying to cross the Mediterranean last month, nearly one in six of them children.

A group of migrants who were refused to enter into Serbia, stand at the transit center for refugees near northern Macedonian village of Tabanovce

IOM spokesman Joel Millman said 60 children younger than 18 were among those who died, bringing the total to 330 children who have died on the Mediterranean in the last five months

Refugees walk through the transit center for refugees near northern Macedonian village of Tabanovce

Migrants in Calais break into and climb in the back of lorries as they wait to board the ferry to the UK

More than 62,000 people crossed the Aegean in January - over 90 percent of them from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq

More than 62,000 people crossed the Aegean in January - over 90 percent of them from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq - and 272 died on that route. Another 5,000 people crossed the central Mediterranean from Libya to Italy.

IOM spokesman Joel Millman said 60 children younger than 18 were among those who died, bringing the total to 330 children who have died on the Mediterranean in the last five months.