Nick Thorpe

Budapest

East and Central Europe Correspondent at BBC

Writer and broadcaster

Articles

Romania reruns controversial election after earlier vote annulled

1 week ago | bbc.com | Nick Thorpe

Romania reruns controversial election after earlier vote annulledNick ThorpeCentral Europe Correspondent, BucharestGetty ImagesRomanians will try again to elect a new president today, six months after the first attempt ended in scandal and confusion. A radical outsider with mystical leanings, Calin Georgescu, came first on 24 November, but that result was annulled over allegations of campaign fraud and Russian interference.
Hungary's parliament votes to limit rights of dual nationals and LGBTQ+ people

1 month ago | bbc.com | Nick Thorpe

Nick ThorpeBudapest correspondentReporting fromBudapestTom BennettBBC NewsReporting fromLondonHungary's parliament has backed a range of constitutional amendments which will limit the rights of LGBTQ+ people and dual nationals. The amendments, which the government says are aimed at protecting children's physical and moral development, will enable it to ban public LGBTQ+ gatherings.
Romanians on the march after arrest of presidential favourite

2 months ago | bbc.com | Nick Thorpe

Romanians on the march after arrest of far-right presidential favouriteNick ThorpeEastern Europe correspondent in BucharestBBCTens of thousands of Romanians marched on Bucharest's Victory Square, the seat of the Romanian government, at the weekend, after the presidential election favourite was taken in for questioning.
Minister questions how Tate brothers could leave Romania

2 months ago | bbc.com | Nick Thorpe |Hafsa Khalil

Minister questions how Tate brothers could leave RomaniaNick Thorpe & Hafsa KhalilReporting fromBucharest & LondonGetty ImagesRomania's Justice Minister Radu Marinescu has called for a public explanation into why controversial social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate were allowed to leave the country on Thursday.
Influencer and brother Tristan leave Romania for US

2 months ago | bbc.com | Nick Thorpe |Mircea Barbu |Paul Kirby

Tate brothers allowed to leave Romania for USNick Thorpe, Mircea Barbu & Paul KirbyEPAAndrew Tate, in the foreground, is a former kickboxer who has described himself a misogynistBritish-American influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate - who are facing trial in Romania on charges of rape, trafficking minors and money laundering - have left the country after prosecutors lifted a two-year travel ban. Andrew Tate, 38, and his brother Tristan, 36, left Bucharest on a private jet early on Thursday.
Storm Boris: Polish city evacuates as floods batter central Europe

Oct 6, 2024 | bbc.com | Laura Gozzi |Nick Thorpe |Rob Cameron |Adam Easton

Several people have died across the Czech Republic, Austria, Romania and Poland following devastating floods.
Hungary's Viktor Orbán to meet Donald Trump

Jul 11, 2024 | yahoo.com | Bernd Debusmann Jr. |Nick Thorpe

Bernd Debusmann Jr & Nick Thorpe - BBC NewsJuly 11, 2024 at 4:23 PM·2 min readDonald Trump will meet Viktor Orbán in Florida on Thursday night, just weeks after the Hungarian prime minister met Russia's Vladimir Putin. His visit to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach is the latest in a number of meetings between the two men. Mr Orbán has publicly endorsed Trump's re-election bid and recently said there was a "very, very high chance" that President Joe Biden would lose the election.
Nato expands Mihai Kogălniceanu airbase in Romania

Jun 22, 2024 | bbc.com | Nick Thorpe

A Romanian village is set to become Nato's biggest airbase in EuropeBy Nick Thorpe, Central Europe correspondentBBCMihai Kogalniceanu (MK) is turning into the biggest Nato airbase in EuropeSix RAF Eurofighter Typhoons sit on the taxiway, engines roaring on two, as the ground staff hurry about, adding the finishing touches before take-off. In the distance, a cloud of dust rises in the summer haze over the construction site of the second runway, 3.5km (2 miles) long, beside the first.
Hungary opens up to Chinese tech despite protests

Apr 26, 2024 | bbc.co.uk | Nick Thorpe

"We do not intend to become the world leader," said Hungary's foreign minister in Beijing last October, about his country's ambitious plans for manufacturing Electric Vehicle batteries, "because the world leader is China". China has an astonishing 79% share of the lithium-ion global battery manufacturing capacity, ahead of the US on 6%. Hungary is now third with 4% and aims soon to overtake the Americans, explained Peter Szijjarto, during his visit to China.
Hungary's Orban vows surge to right in US and Europe

Mar 15, 2024 | bbc.co.uk | Nick Thorpe

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has told a crowd of cheering supporters that his government's nationalist conservative policies will win this year in Europe and beyond. "We started this year alone, by the end of it we will be the majority in the world!" he said in Budapest. He was confident Donald Trump would win November's US presidential election and right-wing parties would win European parliament elections in June. He then launched an attack on the EU.