Migrant crisis: EU quota plan criticised as 'drop in ocean'

EU plans for member states to accept 160,000 new asylum seekers represent a "drop in the ocean" in the scale of the crisis, Germany's vice-chancellor says.

Sigmar Gabriel said 450,000 people had arrived in Germany so far this year, with 37,000 in the first eight days of September.

Tens of thousands, mainly Syrians, have pushed north in recent weeks.

Serbian TV says a record 5,000 migrants have arrived at the border with Hungary in the past 24 hours.

The Hungarian army earlier started military exercises to prepare for a possible future role in guarding the border and stem the flow of people - a move criticised by human rights groups.

'First step'

On Wednesday European Commission President Jean-Claude Junckerannounced plans to distribute 120,000 refugees from Greece, Italy and Hungary among member states via binding quotas.

This would be on top of a proposal in May to share 40,000 refugees from just Greece and Italy.

Speaking in the German parliament on Thursday, Mr Gabriel described the plans as "a first step, if one wants to be polite".

"Or you could call it a drop in the ocean," he added.

Mr Gabriel said Germany had registered some 450,000 migrants this year, including 105,000 in August and 37,000 from 1-8 September.

Earlier the Irish government announced it would take in 4,000 refugees - a figure that includes 1,120 people Ireland had already agreed to receive.

The UK, Ireland and Denmark can choose whether to take part in the EU's quota scheme.

Many migrants are fleeing conflicts in countries like Syria and Libya and are trying to travel through Hungary to Germany, Austria and Sweden - wealthier EU nations with more liberal asylum laws.

The BBC's Bethany Bell at the Austria-Hungary border reports that hundreds more people have arrived there and that 3,500 had crossed into Austria overnight.

Next steps for EU leaders:

14 Sept: Special meeting of EU interior ministers on refugee crisis, with Juncker proposals on agenda

15-16 Oct: EU leaders' summit, with refugee crisis high on agenda. European Parliament then to decide on any new asylum measures with EU governments

Early 2016: EU proposals for better management of legal migration to EU due

/By BBC/