Sen. Hartley Celebrates National Day of Romania in Connecticut State Capitol

On Tuesday, State Senator Joan Hartley joined alongside Romanian dignitaries, including Dana Bucin, Honorary Consul of Romania to CT, Simona Florea, and leaders from Connecticut including Brigadier General Thomas Olander, Director of the Joint Staff, representatives from Pratt and Whitney, State Representative Geraldo Reyes and other colleagues from the state legislature to celebrate National Day of Romania and Romania’s 20th Anniversary as a member of NATO.

The event highlighted the strong bonds between the United States and Romania, and showcased the rich cultural heritage of Romania. Senator Hartley served as a guest speaker to discuss her role in passing a 2023 bill to explore a Global Entrepreneur in Residence (GEIR) program. The purpose of the bill is to grow Connecticut’s highly skilled labor workforce and further skill our entrepreneurship ecosystem through the GEIR program which expands the H-1B visa options for international workers and works with higher education institutions and the private sector on the application process. This initiative particularly fits the Romanian highly skilled tech workers.

“It was an honor to welcome our Romanian friends to the Connecticut State Capitol to celebrate not just their rich heritage and our two decades of allyship as members of NATO, but also the strong collaboration between our state and Romania,” said Sen. Hartley. “I was proud to lead passage of legislation to explore a stronger collaboration with international skilled workers, and I am eager to continue this strong friendship and partnership.”

The speakers were also joined by Ukrainian guests Lana Babij, Moya Ukraine and Svetlana Moskvitch of Svetlana Foundation, who spoke of Romania’s involvement and support for their Ukrainian neighbors. The event also featured an artistic performance by world-famous Romanian tenor group Brio Sonores.