Austria has witnessed an influx of refugees in the days leading up to the historic enlargement of the European Union, officials said Friday.

"This week a large number of refugees have come seeking asylum in Austria, notably Chechens," interior ministry spokesman Rudolf Gollia told AFP, although he gave no figures.

According to the Kurier newspaper, the refugees crossed into Austria from Poland and the Czech Republic, two of the 10 states joining the EU on May 1 in its biggest ever enlargement.

Austria registered 32,000 asylum seekers in 2003 compared with 39,000 the year before, the highest number per head of population among the 15 current member states.

But from May 1, refugees arriving in Austria from one of the 25 EU member states can be sent back immediately to the country they came from, according to EU regulations.