Hungary's prime minister has said eastern European nations are forced to protect themselves from the "brutal threat" of mass migration until the EU organises a united response to the refugee crisis.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has built a fence to keep out refugees on the Serbian border and is rapidly constructing a similar 3.5-metre-high steel fence on the Croatian border.
U N Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed shock and alarm at the treatment of refugees on the border of Hungary and Serbia, adding that they should be treated with dignity and their human rights respected.
He told a news conference: "I was shocked to see how these refugees and migrants were treated, it's not acceptable."
He continued: "All the countries have their domestic problems, but since they are the people fleeing the wars and persecutions, then we must show our compassionate leadership."
"They must be treated with human dignity and human rights.
"That's my consistent message to European and Asian leaders, wherever this migration and refugees are coming."
International development secretary announces extra resources to help identify and prioritise the most vulnerable refugees from camps.
Thousands of refugees and migrants have been trapped in a cruel tug-of-war overnight as European nations squabble over what to do with them.
Croatians have been warning refugees and migrants who are attempting to cross the country's border to be aware of minefields in the area.