Austria says time to phase out emergency measures on migrants

A man holds a child as migrants arrive at the Westbahnhof station in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015. (AP Photo)

Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said on Sunday it was time to phase out extraordinary measures allowing the unimpeded inflow of thousands of migrants from Hungary to Austria and Germany.

“We have always said this is an emergency situation in which we must act quickly and humanely. We have helped more than 12,000 people in an acute situation. Now we have to move step by step away from emergency measures towards normality in conformity with the law and dignity,” he said in a statement after “intensive talks” with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a telephone call with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.