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.
Cargus has announced an investment of over EUR 500,000 in a new logistics hub in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, marking a significant expansion of its operations in southwestern Romania. The courier company, one of the leading players in the local market, is relocating to a newly built facility that doubles the size of its previous hub in […]
Milk Teeth (Dinți de lapte), the second fiction feature written and directed by Romanian filmmaker Mihai Mincan, will have its world premiere in the competitive Orizzonti section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, taking place between August 27 and September 6. The official selection was announced Tuesday, July 22, during the festival’s press conference. […]
Real estate developer Forte Partners announced the start of construction on the office component of U Center 3, a EUR 100 million investment in Bucharest, following the issuance of the building permit at the end of June 2025. The residential part of the final phase of the U Center project will begin in 2026. Following […]
More than half of Romanians believe the communist regime was more of a good thing for Romania, with nearly 56% saying more positive than negative developments occurred under communism. The finding comes from a new INSCOP Research survey commissioned by the Institute for the Investigation of Communist Crimes and...
Energy group Hidroelectrica has signed the contract for its first floating photovoltaic project, Nufārul, marking a major step in Romania’s renewable energy development. The signing took place on Monday, July 21, and involves an investment of RON 39.25 million (around EUR 7.75 million, excluding VAT). Developed by Waldevar SRL, Marine Research, DHI-SW Project SRL, and […]
The National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) conducted a series of raids on Tuesday, July 22, as part of a criminal investigation into alleged corruption involving Cristian Popescu Piedone, the head of the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC). Prosecutors suspect Piedone of tipping off a business in advance of an inspection, according to Biziday.ro. The investigation...
