(9News Au) – Former prime minister Tony Abbott has urged European leaders to adopt tighter border controls to stem the flow of what he called “a peaceful invasion” of asylum seekers.

Mr Abbott told members of the European parliament that the continent was at risk of losing character due to the influx of refugees, The Guardian reports.

The former prime minister was speaking at the 2016 Conference of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists in Prague.

He attributed the result of the Brexit vote to “to prospect of millions of new Europeans from the Middle East and Africa streaming into Britain”, which he believes prompted Britons to “take back their sovereignty”.

Mr Abbott urged leaders to intercept those journeying across the Mediterranean.

“People in no immediate danger have to be turned back at Europe’s borders,” he said.

Mr Abbott cited Australia’s asylum seeker policy as an example of best practice.

“Having stopped the boats, we’ve been able to increase our genuine refugee intake because the Australian government has been in charge, not the people smugglers,” Mr Abbott said.

“Effective border protection is not for the squeamish, but it is absolutely necessary to save lives and to preserve nations.”

Australia’s policy of intercepting and turning back boats at sea has been criticised by the United Nations among other human rights groups.

Earlier this year, a UN report found that Australia’s indefinite detention of refugees was illegal and breached the international convention against torture, the ABC reported.

However, the ruling was dismissed by then-prime minister Mr Abbott, who said that Australians were “sick of being lectured to by the United Nations”.
Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/09/19/15/00/tony-abbott-urges-european-leaders-to-close-borders-to-refugees-before-they-lose-control#U7WJRZFGiT13khKG.99