Hungary's PM Orban calls for refugee city as bomb rocks Budapest

(Vatican Radio)  Hungary's anti-migration prime minister says the European Union should set up a "giant refugee city" on the Libyan coast to process African asylum seekers before they reach Europe. Viktor Orbán spoke while Hungary's capital Budapest was rocked by an apparent bomb blast overnight, seriously injuring two police officers, a week before a controversial referendum on the EU's plan for mandatory relocation of migrants.

Listen to Stefan Bos' report:

Orbán was among those attending a summit in Vienna, Austria, where European leaders agreed to work on improving protecting Europe's outer and inner borders. Speaking at rhe gathering of several European Union and west Balkan leaders, Austria's chancellor Christian Kern vowed to better protect the EU's outer borders to curb illegal migration.

He and his German counterpart Angela Merkel also agreed to consider strengthening the EU's border agency Frontex not only along the continent's sea borders, but also to help protect inner European frontiers, for example at the border between Greece and Macedonia.

Yet Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán , who has taken a hardline stance against migration, wants to go even further. He proposed that a new Libyan government runs a camp that could hold thousands of mainly African refugees. He said the "giant refugee city" on the Libyan coast should be part of a wider EU strategy to retake "total control" of its external borders. He has already sealed off Hungary's own southern borders with razor-wire fences, thousands of security forces and guard dogs.

Orbán spoke at the summit amid upheaval back home in Budapest. Police rushed to downtown Budapest which was rocked by a powerful bomb explosion injuring two patrolling police officers, described as man and female by some media. 

Massive blast

The blast, which was heard in large parts of the Hungarian capital, happened late Saturday local time at a ground floor shop near one of Budapest's largest intersections, known as Oktogon.

Police say the blast, which damaged ground floor walls of the building and blew out building and car windows at the scene, may have been caused by a nail bomb. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but investigators were searching for a person who was seen by security cameras placing a bag at the scene shortly before the blast.

Worried foreigners witnessed the explosion. "This is crazy," shouted a man. "I smelled, something burning, it's wild," said another witness as people elsewhere rushed to safety.  

Critics said the incident comes days before Hungary holds a referendum October 2 on the EU's quota plan for the mandatory relocation of migrants.

Hungary criticized

The campaign has been marked by fears over public security, and government posters that have strongly linked migration and migrants to terrorism.

Police also used media to release a report on an Arab refugee in Budapest who was caught before the explosion when he allegedly threatened to kill a Hungarian in a robbery. 

Prime Minister Orbán has called the upcoming referendum en effort to "send Brussels a message" that it should not force member states to live with people of other religious backgrounds against their will.

Several EU leaders have criticized Hungary and urged a more humane approach towards migrants fleeing war and poverty.