Tensions rise on Hungarian borders

Hungarian officials received both support and criticism on Friday for its handling of the refugee crisis. The country's decision to build a fence along its border with Serbia as well as a recent video of refugees being fed "like animals in a pen" at a border reception center drew international criticism.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman William Spindler pledged on Friday to send pre-fabricated housing for 300 families to Hungary. In return for the aid "we expect authorities to respect rights of refugees whether they are police or army," he said and stressed that "developments on the actions of the Hungarian army will be "closely followed."

Hungary upped its efforts to finish a 4 meter (13 foot) tall, 175 kilometers (109 miles) long fence on the border with Serbia by sending 3,800 soldiers to complete the task. Coils of razor wire currently separate the two countries and have done little to stop the flow of refugees.

The UNHCR also warned on Tuesday that over 42,000 more refugees are expected to arrive in Hungary next week.

Rail traffic stopped

Austrian rail operator OeBB also announced on Friday that the trains between Austria and Hungary will remain closed through the weekend.

"This decision to stop traffic to and from Hungary made it possible to stabilize the situation in Vienna's large train stations," the statement said. "This is important to keep train services running."

The rail operated blamed "massive overcrowding" as well, but continued running regular trains to Germany.

'Inhumane' camp video

Police in Hungary have launched an "emergency inquiry" after a video circulated on Friday showing refugees at a reception center in Roszke being tossed food by policemen wearing surgical masks. The footage was reportedly taken by Michaela Spritzendorfer-Ehrenhauser, a worker for the Austrian Catholic diocese of Sankt Poelten, as she delivered sanitary supplies to the camp.

"There were maybe 100 people trying to catch these plastic bags with sausages... They were not able to organize a camp and treat them like human beings," she said.

A government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs defended the police officer in the video saying, "I can see they are trying to maintain order among those who are unable to line up for food." He also said that refugees only stay at the center for a maximum of two days as part of an EU approved the process.

"It is not easy at the border, it was tense at the railway station, and there is no quick fix," said Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR's Regional Refugee Coordinator on Tuesday.

rs/jil (AFP, dpa, Reuters)