Migrant crisis: Merkel warns durable solution far off

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that a solution to the migrant crisis is far off and how it is handled will shape Europe in the long term.

She told German MPs the latest EU measures agreed on Wednesday were only a "first step" and that "selective relocation" of migrants was not enough.

The flow of migrants over Europe's borders continues. Hungary announced a record 10,046 arrivals on Wednesday.

Rows among EU nations also continue - the latest between Serbia and Croatia.

The crisis has also sparked a warning from the European Commission that if it is not addressed properly there could be a surge of right-wing extremism across Europe.

About half a million migrants have arrived in Europe this year, exposing deep divisions within the EU.

'Millions of refugees'

Merkel told the German parliament: "I am deeply convinced that what Europe needs is not just selective relocation [of migrants], but a permanent process for fairly distributing refugees among member states.

"A first step has been taken, but we are still far from where we should be."

What the EU leaders agreed

• At least €1bn (£700m, $1.1bn) extra will be donated to the UN refugee agency and the World Food programme
• More help for Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and other countries
• Greater co-operation and dialogue with Turkey
• Assistance for Balkan states, who have become a major route for migrants travelling north
• Strengthened border controls, including more funding for border security forces
• Further summit scheduled for October. Talks to include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The official statement from the meeting

How is migrant crisis dividing EU?

EU migration: Crisis in graphics

On Tuesday (22 September), EU ministers backed mandatory quotas to divide up 120,000 refugees among members - but the vote was passed only by majority and was fiercely opposed by some nations. Slovakia has launched a legal challenge.

Merkel welcomed the EU measures to improve border controls and establish proper registration of migrants at entry points in Greece and Italy.

She said the participants at Wednesday's EU leaders's summit had "recognised the scale of the problem and sent a signal of unity".

But said warned that "the way we tackle the crisis will shape Europe in the long term" and criticised the failure of some EU states to meet the "minimum standards in Europe for the accommodation and care of refugees".

Merkel vowed to speed up asylum procedures in Germany.

Later on Wednesday, she will meet the leaders of Germany's 16 states in Berlin to discuss funding for handling migrants and speeding up asylum claims.

She insisted "the opportunities are much bigger than the risks".

But Mrs Merkel said the EU also needed help from outside the EU, calling for the support "of our transatlantic partners, the United States, as well as with Russia and the states of the region of the Middle East".

Border row

After Wednesday's summit, European Council President Donald Tusk warned that "greatest tide of refugees and migrants is yet to come".

"We should be talking about millions of potential refugees," he said, adding: "We need to correct the policy of open doors and windows."

The flow has continued unabated, with Hungary recording a record number on Wednesday - 9,939 entering from Croatia and 102 from Serbia.

It was Hungary's introduction of tough new laws on its border with Serbia last week that led to thousands of migrants diverting to Croatia.

This has led to increased tension between Serbia and Croatia. Serbia has banned Croatian cargo traffic and Croatia in return has now banned Serbian-registered vehicles.

Croatia said reports that individual Serbian citizens had also been barred from entering Croatia were incorrect, saying there had only been "a problem with passports".

Hungary's fairly smooth processing of migrants arriving from Croatia may well change in the coming days when it is expected to complete a razor-wire fence on its Croatian border.

Meanwhile, European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans warned of dire consequences if border checks were not properly enforced.

He said: "If we're not able to tackle this issue, if we're not able to find sustainable solutions, you will see a surge of the extreme right across the European continent."

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