Austria’s chancellor said establishing controls on the borders of Italy and Greece must be a priority to stem the influx of migrants into the EU.

Werner Faymann said border controls inside the EU are less effective because refugee flows can "only be shifted" once the refugees have traveled thousands of kilometers (miles) in hopes of a safe haven.

Faymann on Tuesday also urged quick completion of an agreement with Turkey offering Ankara billions of euros in aid for incentives to migrants to remain in Turkey instead of leaving for the EU.

He said making sure that people fleeing war and hardship from regions in Asia and the Mideast can survive in Turkey is the "only sensible way."

Meanwhile, Greek authorities said more than 10,000 refugees and economic migrants have crossed from Greece into Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) since Monday morning, on their long trek toward wealthier western and northern European countries.

FYROM border police were letting groups of 50 across at regular intervals Tuesday. But large bottlenecks formed due to increased flows toward the border crossing at Idomeni after migrants were stranded on the Greek islands for days by a ferry strike. [AP]