Visa and Raiffeisen Bank have launched for the first time in Central and Eastern Europe the Visa Signature card (debit and credit), expanding exclusive benefits for super-premium cardholders in the Romanian market. This initiative reinforces both companies’ commitment to providing innovative financial products and services, offering clients significant advantages and an enhanced experience with Visa Premium cards. Made from 99% recycled plastic, the new card has been added to the bank’s product portfolio and is accessible to a significant segment of premium clients. Visa Signature stands out with a flexible structure and multiple benefits designed to offer a superior level of comfort and extended access to a range of exclusive services. These include personalized concierge services, access to the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection, special offers through the Visa Merchant Offers Centre, and 24/7 Global Customer Assistance Services (GCAS). “Visa Signature represents an important step in expanding our relationship with premium segment clients, providing them access to a wide range of exclusive benefits. The new Visa Signature card comes with a series of advantages specifically designed to meet their mobility and flexibility needs, while also allowing secure payments, globally accepted, enhanced with premium benefits and a more seamless digital integration. We are thrilled to partner with Raiffeisen Bank to bring this regional premiere to Romania. This continues the strategic partnership extended this year through the issuance of all the bank’s cards under the Visa brand, once again confirming once again that together we can constantly innovate and take the digital payments in Romania to the next level,” stated Elena Ungureanu, Visa Country Manager for Romania. “Visa has been a trusted partner of Raiffeisen Bank since our early presence in the Romanian market, and with the exclusive partnership announced this year, we have entered a new phase of collaboration. The launch of Visa Signature reinforces our commitment to delivering solutions that add value to both our premium product portfolio and the customer experience”, said Vladimir Kalinov, Vice President of Retail at Raiffeisen Bank Romania. The new Visa Signature card complements the Visa Premium universe, joining the Infinite, Platinum, and Gold cards. Designed to meet the high standards of affluent clients seeking personalized services and exclusive experiences, Visa Signature expands the range of lifestyle benefits for cardholders, offering enhanced convenience in everyday life, such as full travel insurance, extended access to national and international airport lounges, and global emergency assistance services. The local benefits of premium cards particularly target transportation, roadside and home assistance services: discounts on BlackCab rides, safe transportation for children, private drivers for personal car transport and airport transfers. Additionally, Visa Premium cardholders enjoy discounts at restaurants, dental clinics, beauty salons, and fitness centers. They also have free access to airport lounges in Bucharest, Cluj, Timisoara, and Vienna, and discounts on mobility packages, including replacement car and towing services in case of accidents or technical malfunctions. International privileges within the Visa Premium universe include global assistance, preferential access to international airport lounges, and significant discounts on car rentals and hotel bookings. The Visa Luxury Hotel Collection provides access to over 900 locations, ranging from boutique hotels to major luxury hotel chains, with best-guaranteed booking rates, automatic room upgrades based on availability, VIP Guest status, and other benefits. The platform is available in 10 languages and offers a dedicated concierge service. Furthermore, cardholders have access to Air Refund, a service that simplifies and speeds up the claiming compensation for delayed or canceled flights, offering up to 600 euros depending on the flight distance and delay duration, with no commission charged for unresolved cases.
Daniel Christian Hulea, a Romanian man accused of contributing to the NetWalker ransomware attacks, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and wire fraud, according to a public announcement from the US Department of Justice. NetWalker was a Ransomware-as-a-Service operation launched in 2019, which recruited […]
The new Romanian government, headed by the same Social Democratic prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu, recently made its governance program public. Among its objectives are reducing the level of bureaucracy, maintaining the flat tax rate, and reducing the budget deficit to 7% in 2025. To reach its goals, the government reduced the number of ministries to […]
The European Commission (EC) announced on Monday, December 23, that it disbursed payments under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) to Czechia, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Romania, totaling EUR 26.8 billion in loans and grants. Under this latest disbursement, Romania received EUR 37.05 million as part of its second payment request. By comparison, according to the...
Romanian film trilogy Moromeții, directed by Stere Gulea, will be presented at the 54th edition of the Rotterdam International Film Festival, taking place from January 30 to February 9, 2025. This renowned European event, which annually presents hundreds of films across more than 20 sections, will feature the three films - Moromeții (1987), Moromeții 2 […]
Romania issued state aid worth EUR 1.3 billion during 2019-2023, with 62% of the projects being granted to foreign companies, according to an analysis conducted by EY Romania. The sectors that benefited the most from aid were the automotive industry, technology, manufacturing (light industry), medical industry, and the food and beverage industry. According to the […]
The Abracadabra – Secrets of Magic interactive exhibition will transform Arcub – Hanul Gabroveni in Bucharest into a magical universe starting December 27, 2024. Running until May 4, 2025, the event offers visitors the opportunity to explore a labyrinth of magic, featuring over 20 interactive attractions and more than 500 live performances by MAGITOT and […]
