United States firm, alleged to have helped Qatar secure entry into the Visa Waiver program, now said to have penned a lobbying deal with Romania
Romania's suspension from the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) in March 2025, due to concerns over security compliance, has not deterred the country from seeking re-entry. In a bid to address these issues and improve its standing, Romania has entered into a lobbying agreement with Global Security and Innovative Strategies LLC (GSIS), a US-based consultancy specializing in security and public safety [1].
The agreement, signed by Romania’s ambassador to Washington, Andrei Muraru, and GSIS co-founder Noah Kroloff, a former chief of staff at the US Department of Homeland Security, is valid through October 31, 2025. Romania will pay $25,000 per month for consultancy services aimed at helping the country meet the VWP's stringent security and public safety requirements and improving bilateral cooperation with the United States [1].
The consultancy's focus is on compliance with security standards critical for VWP membership, modelled after a similar contract with Qatar, which was admitted to the VWP in September 2024 [1]. Special emphasis will be placed on mutual public safety, security requirements, and cooperation on matters related to trade and travel [1].
The Romanian state's decision to engage GSIS follows the suspension of its VWP membership, a move taken by the Biden administration to ensure "compliance with the program's strict security requirements" [1]. However, it is worth noting that the suspension was not mentioned in the original lobbying agreement between Romania and GSIS [1].
This news was reported by Profit.ro, and the photo source for the article is Kuprevich from Dreamstime.com. The agreement, whose wording is identical to that in a similar contract signed by GSIS with Qatar, underscores Romania's determination to address the concerns that led to its suspension and rejoin the VWP [1].
[1] Source: radu@our website.
- Romania's engagement with Global Security and Innovative Strategies LLC (GSIS) aims to navigate policy-and-legislation and politics, focusing on re-entry into the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) by addressing concerns over security compliance and improving bilateral cooperation with the United States.
- The Romanian government's decision to hire GSIS for consultancy services, following the suspension from the VWP, signals a focus on general-news issues such as security standards, public safety, and compliance to secure re-entry into the program.
