GETTY Helmut Kohl has taken a thinly-veiled swipe at Angela Merkel

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Mr. Kohl, who was German leader for 16 years and oversaw the reunification of his divided country, took a swipe at the woman he chose as his successor after remaining silent on the issue since the crisis began. He commented in a newspaper at the weekend: "Europe cannot become a new home for the millions of people in need throughout the world.

"National policies of the lone-knight variety must be left in the past. For the most part they have a belief which is different from the Judeo-Christian beliefs which form part of the foundations of our social order and our values." He never mentioned Mrs. Merkel, who he championed for greatness over more conventional rivals, but no-one is left in any doubt that his criticisms were aimed at her.

GETTY Kohl and Merkel are said to be estranged

His comments came just before a controversial meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban that he will hold this week. Kohl, 86, said the continent's peace and freedom could be at stake through mass immigration. The social fabric in his own country has worn increasingly thin due to the open-door policy of Merkel who has allowed in more than 1.2 million refugees in 16 months.

GETTY Right-wing Germans have protested against Merkel’s open-door policy

This has pushed voters into the embrace of right-wingers like the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party which scored big in regional elections in March and which now threatens Merkel's CDU conservatives at the general election in the autumn of next year.

The solution lies in the affected regions, it does not lie in Europe Helmut Kohl

"The solution lies in the affected regions," said Kohl of the migrant crisis. "It does not lie in Europe. Europe cannot become a new home for millions of people in need around the world." Kohl is to meets with Orban, who has drawn criticism for his resistance to taking in refugees, including the erecting of a razor-wire fence along his country's border.

GETTY Merkel's CDU will face the AfD in next years general election