Uniting Across the Aisle: Tech-Savvy Politicians Band Together for Economic Advancement and National Security in Romania
Parliamentary Officials Establish Tech Trust Caucus in Romania, Collaborating with Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue University
Cross-party MPs from Romania have teamed up, with the backing of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue University – a global frontrunner in trusted technology – to kick off the première of the Parliamentary Trusted Tech Caucus. This non-partisan assembly will focus on leveraging technology for economic progress and ensuring Romania's security, while warding off potential technology-based threats from authoritarian regimes and nefarious actors.
This tech-centric congregation of legislators, bolstered by the Krach Institute's broad network of experts, will convene regularly to brainstorm, formulate policy positions, host educational sessions, draft legislation, and function as an authoritative resource for fellow MPs on technology-related matters.
Leading figures from the Krach Institute joined forces to host an exclusive conference for parliamentarians and tech industry heavyweights at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest. Len Khodorkovsky, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Senior Advisor to the Krach Institute’s Chairman, and Alexandru Nazare, Board Member of the National Bank of Romania and Krach Institute Advisory Council member, spearheaded the event, stressing the significance of embracing trustworthy technology within Romania, the Black Sea region, and globally.
Several other distinguished members of the Krach Institute's Advisory Council participated in the discussion, including Amb. Adrian Zuckerman, the former U.S Ambassador to Romania, Radu Piturlea, Executive Chairman of Concelex, and Brigadier General (Ret.) Dr. Cătălin Constantin Mihalache, Founder and CEO of B2S Black Sea Strategies.
"Romania's future is intrinsically linked to technology – its economic growth, national security, and regional leadership. Trustworthy technology will underpin the majority of global GDP by tomorrow's economy. The establishment of Romania's Trusted Tech Caucus is a crucial milestone in securing that emerging technologies bolster Romania's democracy," said Len Khodorkovsky from the Krach Institute.
"To remain competitive, Romania urgently needs to address its digital and innovation deficiencies. The Krach Institute's know-how and worldwide network, harnessed through the Trusted Tech Caucus, provides access to cutting-edge tech trends and facilitates venture capital investment in Romania," Alexandru Nazare, Board Member of the National Bank of Romania and President of Paneuropa Romania, added. "However, simply being connected isn’t enough. Actively championing responsible, secure, and democratic technology policies is essential. Positioning ourselves as a leader in this new technological era requires a coherent strategy and a streamlined, single-window system that effectively promotes economic interests through international collaborations."
The inaugural members of Romania's Trusted Tech Caucus, listed alphabetically, are:
- Ovidiu Cîmpean (MP, PNL)
- Corina Ene (MP, PSD)
- Mihai Ghigiu (MP, PSD)
- Antal Lóránt (MP, UDMR)
- Florin Manole (MP, PSD)
- Ștefan Pălărie (MP, USR)
- Robert Sighiartău (MP, PNL)
- Diana Stoica (MP, USR)
The Romanian National Directorate for Cybersecurity – DNSC's Director, Dan Cîmpean, attended and welcomed the Trusted Tech Caucus' initial gathering.
The Romanian roadmap, as outlined in the Digital Decade Country Report of the European Commission, sets key 2030 targets for the technology sector: 5,000 innovative digital SMEs, a 2% GDP contribution from innovation, and four Romanian-founded unicorns with global reach and a base in Romania.
This endeavor was supported by Romanian business leaders representing leading tech companies and academic experts, all advocating for public-private collaboration to optimize technological progress, foster Romania's economy, and defend national interests. Parties like Google, Oracle, Samsung, CrowdStrike, Maguay, Cluster Power, and more emphasized the importance of such a collaboration in safeguarding national interests and driving economic growth.
The Krach Institute will offer training to Romanian MPs through the Tech Diplomacy Academy, a renowned online platform utilized by the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce, NATO, and major private sector companies to educate their staff on the intersection of technology, business, and policy-making.
The Parliamentary Trusted Tech Caucus will become an integral part of an international network focusing on trusted technology. This network will facilitate collaboration and knowledge-sharing among similar caucuses worldwide to promote the ethical use of advanced technologies across nations.
In establishing the Parliamentary Trusted Tech Caucus, Romania has shown bold leadership and unwavering commitment to safeguard the liberties of its citizens.
About the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue:
The Krach Institute expedites the innovation and adoption of trusted technology worldwide. As a pioneer in Tech Diplomacy, the Institute combines technology acumen, Silicon Valley practices, and foreign policy strategies to foster the Global Trusted Tech Network of governments, companies, organizations, and individuals, i.e., accelerating the steady advance of trusted technology that reinforces freedom.
To learn more about the Krach Institute, visit TechDiplomacy.org, follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Register for the Tech Diplomacy Academy to get insights into emerging technologies and their impact on business, policymaking, and the world economy. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Tech Diplomacy Now for the latest updates at the intersection of high tech and geopolitics.
This is a press release
Further Insights:
- Tech Diplomacy: A new approach that focuses on building partnerships among countries to navigate technology-related global challenges in areas like cybersecurity, data privacy, and ethical AI.
- Parliamentary Trusted Tech Caucus: A representative group of legislators who collaborate to discuss and formulate technology policies that address security concerns, promote economic growth, and uphold privacy rights.
- Trusted Technology: Technology implemented with transparency, security, and ethics in mind, aiming to build confidence and reduce risks associated with its use.
- Venture Capital Investment: Financial backing provided by investors to startups whose growth potential is deemed promising.
- Public-Private Collaboration: A partnership between government entities and private businesses to address shared interests or tackle common challenges.
- The Romanian Parliamentary Trusted Tech Caucus, a non-partisan assembly formed by cross-party MPs with the support of the Krach Institute, advocates for technology advances in data-and-cloud-computing, cybersecurity, and artificial-intelligence to drive economic growth and ensure national security.
- Len Khodorkovsky, a leading figure at the Krach Institute, stressed the importance of embracing trustworthy technology within Romania and globally during an exclusive conference convened by the Krach Institute at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest.
- The Krach Institute, through its Tech Diplomacy Academy, will offer training to Romanian MPs to enhance their knowledge on the intersection of technology, business, and policy-making, which will help Romania maintain a competitive edge in the technology sector.
- Google, Oracle, Samsung, CrowdStrike, Maguay, Cluster Power, and other leading tech companies expressed the necessity of public-private collaboration to optimize technological progress, foster Romanian economy, and defend national interests.
- The ambition of the Romanian roadmap, as outlined in the Digital Decade Country Report of the European Commission, is to achieve key 2030 targets for the technology sector, such as having 5,000 innovative digital SMEs, a 2% GDP contribution from innovation, and four Romanian-founded unicorns with global reach and a base in Romania.
- The Parliamentary Trusted Tech Caucus will join an international network focusing on trusted technology, facilitating collaboration and knowledge-sharing among similar caucuses worldwide to promote the ethical use of advanced technologies across nations, influencing policy-and-legislation and shaping the future of general-news.
