Austria said it planned to end emergency measures, such as random border checks, that have left thousands of refugees stranded in Hungary into Austria and Germany over the weekend.

Vienna too has agreed with Germany to waive rules requiring refugees to register an asylum claim in the first EU country they reach.

Germany is emerging as a very sympathetic character – a very different reputation than they had during Greece’s debt crisis. BBC Vienna Correspondent Bethany Bell says that is because this is a very different issue.

“It is an obligation of European countries to give help to people fleeing war and conflict – that is something that is deeply embedded in European law and treaties,” Bell says. 

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