As EU countries flounder over proposals to deal with the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, the Pope has criticised nations closing their doors to those he said were seeking protection.<br /><br /> France and Austria have stepped up border controls as migrants attempt to cross from Italy, with thousands being turned back.<br /><br /> “So far, over 110,000 people arrived to Europe (this year),” explained Iosto Iba, spokesperson, UNHCR Rome. “While in Italy there was not a big increase in the number of arrivals, there was a huge increase in the number of sea arrivals in Greece, where there was a six times increase with respect the same level of the previous year in 2014.”<br /><br /> Faced with the escalating crisis of refugees arriving on Europe’s shores, France has announced 11,000 new places in centres for asylum seekers by 2016.<br /><br /> Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the plan aimed to provide long-term solutions.<br /><br /> “We can’t leave Greece and Italy alone with this problem. Faced with this burden the European
