Updated 10:55pm

HUNGARY’S PARLIAMENT HAS given the army and police sweeping new powers to keep migrants out.

The country’s populist prime minister Viktor Orban warned today that Europe was being “overrun”.

“They are overrunning us. They’re not just banging on the door, they’re breaking the door down on top of us,” the right-wing Orban told lawmakers.

“Our borders are in danger, our way of life built on respect for the law, Hungary and the whole of Europe is in danger,” the 52-year-old said in Budapest.

“Europe hasn’t just left its doors open but has sent open invitation… Europe is rich but weak, this is the worst combination, Europe needs to be stronger to defend its borders.”

The new legislation, passed with a two-thirds majority, allows the army to take part in border controls, to restrict personal liberties and to use weapons as long as no loss of life ensues.

Coming a week after illegal border-crossing became a crime punishable by up to five years in jail, soldiers can now also check ID papers and detain suspected illegal migrants.

The police meanwhile will be able to enter private homes for the purpose of carrying out search for migrants who entered the country illegally, amongst other new powers.

The rules are applicable in areas where a “state of crisis caused by mass immigration” has been declared. Last week the government declared such a state in six counties bordering Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria.

A Hungarian army officer stands at the Serbian-Hungarian border as Syrian women cross, near Roszke, southern Hungary. Source: Associated Press

Sealing borders

EU member Hungary has emerged this year as a frontline state in Europe’s migrant crisis, with 225,000 travelling up from Greece through the western Balkans and entering the country from Serbia and most recently Croatia.

Most then enter Austria which lets them travel onwards to Germany.

Last week Hungary sealed its southern border with Serbia, forcing tens of thousands of migrants to enter Croatia, from where many then again crossed into Hungary and headed for Austria and beyond.

The country has erected a razor-wire barrier along its 175-kilometre border with Serbia and along 40 kilometres of its border with Croatia not marked by the Drava river.

It is also building a four-metre high fence along its border with Serbia and is planning to erect a barrier along its frontier with Romania too. Those entering from Croatia in recent days have entered through official crossing points.

Hungary has been widely criticised for closing off its borders and for its treatment of the migrants, including in clashes last week when police used tear gas and water cannon against protesters throwing stones and other missiles.

Further south: Migrants, who were blocked at a bus station walk down a highway towards Turkey's western border with Greece and Bulgaria this morning. Source: Associated Press

Blaming Greece and Germany

Orban argues that Hungary is applying EU regulations and blames Greece for waving migrants through and Germany – the migrants’ main destinations – for relaxing asylum rules for people fleeing Syria’s civil war and Islamic State extremists.

He also rejects that the new arrivals are refugees, saying that they are either “economic migrants” in search of a better life or Syrians who voluntarily left camps outside Syria where their lives are not in danger.

“For 1,000 years Hungary has been a respected member of the greater European family… When we defend Hungary’s borders, we are protecting Europe,” Orban told parliament today.

“Hungary is fighting on two fronts: the country and Europe’s borders must be defended, but also against short-sighted European politics as well.”

© AFP, 2015

First published at 4:31am