a program built around the passion for basketball with three main components: encouraging performance through an annual competition for junior teams in the region making the sport more accessible by developing 10 basketball courts in Bucharest and other cities and supporting new talents from disadvantaged communities by offering sports scholarships This initiative expands Mastercard’s strategy of sport-related activities in Romania “Mastercard Rising Stars has quickly become a landmark event in the Southeast European region offering young athletes not only the chance to engage in high-level international competition but also the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of basketball experts and enthusiasts This is a key project for the future of Romanian basketball and for strengthening sports relations within the region We aim for this competition to become a lasting platform for discovering new talent and creating new role models for youth in the Balkans gives the tournament a spectacular setting and exceptional visibility reinforcing basketball’s rightful place in the spotlight of major national sports events,” said Emilia-Carmen Tocală President of the Romanian Basketball Federation Because every shot at the basket can be the first step towards performance Mastercard Rising Stars – A Better Future aims to discover and support children with potential preparing them for selection in the U18 national team and a future in basketball At five of the locations where courts have been developed the Romanian Basketball Federation will organize scouting sessions for children aged 10 to 14 Five of them will benefit from annual scholarships worth 6,000 euros each as well as mentorship provided by Save the Children Through strong partnerships and constant commitment the Mastercard Rising Stars program aims to make a real impact in the lives of future generations offering them opportunities to follow their passion and build their future We use cookies for keeping our website reliable and secure providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used The boarding school of the Tudor Vladimirescu Technological High School in Șimian commune has entered into a comprehensive process of modernization and energy rehabilitation through the Romania Eficienta program carried out by the Energy Policy Group (EPG) and supported by the official sponsor OMV Petrom The project includes increasing the energy performance of the building built in the 1970s the re-compartmentalization and reorganization of the spaces according to the regulations in force as well as related works to redevelop the outdoor space The total investment amounts to over 1.5 million euros The Tudor Vladimirescu Technological High School in Şimian is the fifth educational unit in the national public system to benefit from extensive energy efficiency works to the nZEB standard through the Romania Eficienta program after the Elie Radu Technological High School in Ploiești and the Technological High School in Vernești The in-depth renovation works of the boarding school building are progressing at a steady pace and are expected to be completed in the coming months EPG Director and Coordinator of the Romania Eficienta Project: “The continuity of the partnership with OMV Petrom in “Romania Eficienta” reflects the dedication and commitment to the common objective of this program: promoting energy efficiency in schools and among the general public through in-depth renovations for educational buildings as well as through awareness-raising activities about energy saving We are particularly pleased to enter the fifth stage of this solid partnership through which we will continue to encourage the adoption of sustainable and responsible consumption behaviors and create has an area of ​​1100 sq m and serves as the boarding school of the Tudor Vladimirescu Technological High School a number of 60 students supervised by 3 teachers The objectives of the renovation project to the nZEB standard aim to increase energy performance resolve construction deficiencies and comply with the health and safety regulations in force The main energy rehabilitation works to the nZEB standard of the boarding school building of the Tudor Vladimirescu Technological High School in the commune of Şimian include: the total annual energy consumption of the boarding school building will be reduced by over 60% CCE Holding finished the installation of a 40 MW photovoltaic facility in Arad county in Romania in less than a year 0 photovoltaic projects kept piling up in Romania together with companies’ ambitions and pledges Fast forward and the country is enjoying a genuine solar power boom The Ministry of Energy has highlighted a new facility and said it would try to inaugurate one project per week The solar park of 40 MW in peak capacity is in Vladimirescu commune in Arad county in Romania’s northwest Clean Capital Energy (CCE) Holding is a PV project developer based in Vienna The Horia or Horia1 facility is its first in Romania Minister Sebastian Burduja said the investment is worth more than EUR 35 million Annual output is expected to be equivalent to power consumption of 17,000 Romanian households, according to the update. Construction started in late December. CCE has developed the project in cooperation with Banat Agri Group and Austria-based Frapag It obtained EUR 3 million from the Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP or The company won support in the first round of applications Mayor of Vladimirescu Mihai Mag valued the investment at 40 million euros and said the project would have two more phases The PV park in Vladimirescu consists of solar modules of 590 W CCE Holding earlier revealed that it secured financing from Raiffeisen Bank International the company has photovoltaic projects for 1.3 GW in peak capacity under development of which it plans to install 220 MW within two years with a total of 2 GW in peak capacity underway Except for large ground-mounted solar power units it works on commercial rooftop PV systems and energy storage Romanian companies will be more competitive He noted that his ministry has obtained a total of EUR 13 billion in grants for energy projects Be the first one to comment on this article 02 May 2025 - The project is located in Constanța county recognized for its superior yields in green energy production 02 May 2025 - The Sunčana (Sunny) Vipava project envisages installing solar power plants with a combined capacity of 20 MW 30 April 2025 - OMV put into operation its 10 MW green hydrogen plant at the Schwechat refinery 30 April 2025 - It is the second time this year that MVM contracted gas-fueled and hydrogen-ready power plants at sites of former fossil fuel facilities © CENTER FOR PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2008-2020 website developed by ogitive the counties of Galați and Vaslui were hit by flash floods with over 150 liters of rainfall per square meter recorded in less than 24 hours across several localities where floodwaters reached depths of 1.5 to 2 meters in some places Over 6,000 houses have been either destroyed or partially damaged 7 people died and thousands of residents have been evacuated from high-risk zones Severe weather conditions are expected to persist heightening the risk of further escalation Russian drones fell in Romania on January 17. Their wreckage was discovered in two locations in the border counties of Botoșani and Tulcea, according to Romania's Ministry of Defense "An interagency team completed its investigation on January 17 in the border area of Tulcea County following the drone attack on civilian targets and port infrastructure in Ukraine," the statement reads the investigation found two areas where Russian-made Geran1/2 drones had crashed One crash site is located between the towns of Cășăria (Tulcea County) and Tudor-Vladimirescu (Botoșani County) while the second is south of Chilia Veche (Tulcea County) "The drone debris impact did not affect any infrastructure and no material damage has been reported," the Ministry of Defense added Two Russian drone crash sites were found in Romania after the attack on Ukraine on January 17 (google.com/maps) Russia launched an attack on Ukraine with drones and ballistic missiles on the night of January 17. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that one of the drones entered Romania's airspace. Additionally, Romania scrambled F-16 fighter jets in response to the Russian attack on Ukrainian cities near the Danube on January 17 The Russian army targeted the Izmail district in the Odesa region with drones The target of the attack was the local port infrastructure 77 years since the Tudor Vladimirescu division entered Bucharest the Russian Embassy in Romania has reiterated a number of older narratives about Romania’s liberation by the Red Army the role played by the abovementioned division made up of former Romanian prisoners of war as well as about Romania’s cooperation with the USSR   Romanian soldiers held captive in the USSR joined the Tudor Vladimirescu Division willing to fight fascism Romania turning arms against Germany reflected people’s will and the Romanian soldiers fought better because they had a just cause The Romanian army was treated as an ally and fought side by side with the Soviet army The Soviet army entered Romanian territory to liberate it Russia’s embassies across the world are taking part in this propaganda effort by adopting messages and adapting them to the specificity of each country the narrative promoted by the Russian embassy is reminiscent of the narratives circulated during the war against Nazi Germany According to these narratives (which during the first years of the communist regime insisted on the “liberating” role of the Soviet Army) Romania was one of the countries which played a major role in bringing down Nazi Germany The same narratives argued that Romania siding with the Soviets was the will of the Romanian communists whose role had been instrumental in the August 23 events things are not that black-and-white: the communists had played a relatively insignificant role Romania turning arms against Germany was the result of political decision-making at the highest level (a decision which was steeped in controversy and did not enjoy full support) which followed the arrest and demise of Marshal Ion Antonescu as the situation was extremely complicated on the frontline and Russian troops had already entered Romanian territory which meant full occupation was just a matter of time much like those now being promoted by the Russian embassy focused on the common effort to liberate Northern Transylvania conceded to Hungary under the Second Vienna Award The battle for Transylvania thus added a national dimension to the effort of defeating Nazism The narrative ignores the capturing of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina by the USSR under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact considering that Romania entered WWII on the side of Germany with the undeclared purpose of liberating these territories A much more controversial decision was the one whereby the Antonescu regime chose to wage war across the Dniester as an attempt at finally retaking Northern Transylvania this does not exclude Antonescu’s hostility towards the Bolshevik regime nor him advocating some of the ideas Nazi Germany was actually fighting for which in turn contributed to Romania deciding to cross the Dniester the Romanian forces were also guilty of committing war crimes in USSR territory and Romania was one of the countries that took part in the Holocaust In the meta-narrative about Romania’s participation in the war against Nazi Germany and its alliance with the Red Army the “Tudor Vladimirescu” division also plays a key role: its existence proved that Romanians had fought the Nazis even prior to August 23 while on the other hand that the decision also had an ideological component in addition to its nationalist purpose (Obviously Tudor Vladimirescu is described in communist historiography as a rebel fighting particularly for a social cause) The practice of recruiting prisoners of war with a view to creating military units that would fight alongside their captors was used in the war both by Nazi Germany (see the Russian Liberation Army led by Vlasov) as well as by the USSR Adding to these units made up of prisoners were others consisting of ideologically-minded volunteers or refugees from various countries at times fighting on behalf of national authorities in exile (which were known to a greater or lesser extent) such units were designed to be reused in the future Such “divisions of volunteers” had been created by Stalin in 1942, made up of Slovaks and Poles. On October 2, 1943, Stalin approved the creation of “Tudor Vladimirescu” 1st Volunteer Division on USSR territory, according to Evenimentul Istoric. of whom 309.533 were reported on August 23 and another 135.620 were captured after Romania switched sides in the war (according to Ilie Schipor at least 65,000 allegedly died serving time given that mortality rate estimates amongst Romanian PoWs stood at 28% Romanian PoWs died not just in NKVD-run camps Most of the survivors were set free years after the war had ended and most of them had to cross thousands of kilometers on foot to get back home The Tudor Vladimirescu Division took part in the military campaign against Germany 1944 (the Russian Embassy in Bucharest published its post on the anniversary of that date) The Soviets would subsequently create a new division but it was already too late for it to have any part in the war effort be used later – just as what had remained of the Tudor Vladimirescu Division – to help the communists effectively take control of the Romanian army PURPOSE: To reiterate narratives about the exclusively positive role played by the Soviet Army The narrative also seeks to invoke the old Romanian-Russian friendship and the prospect of present-day cooperation with a view to attaining joint objectives It seeks to undermine people’s confidence in the current security context based on our country’s NATO membership by suggesting the existence of an alternative rooted in history namely we were given good and other rights pay and all the rights befitting an officer […] Each unit and subunit of the division had some Soviet drill-sergeant […] We swore allegiance to the Romanian people on the Romanian flag which didn’t display the royal insignia” opportunism and the will to survive seem to have played a much more important role in persuading the military to sign up voluntarily for the Tudor Vladimirescu Division Adding to the pressure every prisoner had been subject to was also the pressure of an intense propaganda drive A number of Romanian communist activists were forced by Soviet authorities to search the Soviet gulags looking for Romanian military whom they could recruit for the new division of “volunteers” under the guise of a patriotic war Nicolae Cambrea (uncle to filmmaker Sergiu Nicolaescu) those who did volunteer only accounted for a small minority as long as Romania was at war with the USSR joining a Moscow-run military outfit was considered an act of treason Most of the officers were in this frame of mind so the Russians had a hard time recruiting the necessary numbers to make up a whole division so they promoted privates or junior officers to full-fledged officers Not even the narrative regarding a greater and more efficient motivation of the Romanian army would pass a closer scrutiny Both campaigns were fought in the name of liberating Romanian territories (Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina Northern Transylvania) and against a regime that was the epitome of evil – Bolshevism Romania was merely a junior partner in both campaigns respectively bore the brunt and ultimately decided victory or defeat In both campaigns Romania was outgunned and less prepared compared to its allies The strength of the Soviet Army pushing back the Nazi frontlines in the final years of the war was overwhelming So it’s unwise to compare the efficiency displayed by the Romanian army fighting the Soviets to that of the Romanian army fighting alongside them against an already defeated German enemy who was on the retreat As regards popular support for Romania turning arms and the enthusiastic reception of the Tudor Vladimirescu Division and the Red Army by the population the pictures taken at the time can be deceiving a university professor and former president of the Associations of Historians from the Republic of Moldova the holder of a PhD in historical sciences “If we look back at the images and films taken in Bucharest I believe the people of Bucharest weren’t so enthusiastic about the Russians coming to occupy them but a division that was part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front Romanian soldiers were wearing the same uniform as the Soviet military their shoulder boards were Romanian Army standard issue But their clothing was nonetheless Soviet” Romania was not treated as an ally of the USSR over 135 thousand Romanian military were taken prisoner by the Soviets Romanian was treated as an aggressor state and forced to pay huge reparations via to so-called SovRoms Even those Romanian soldiers who were part of the Tudor Vladimirescu Division whose official status identified them as volunteers were used as cannon fodder in the Red Army’s western campaign Anatol Petrencu argues: “The Russians didn’t put too much trust in such military units We have to say that this Romanian division was also used as cannon fodder Of the 9,562 soldiers the division had in 1944 Over half of them died fighting in Transylvania The Red Army didn’t enter Romania to “liberate” it but as part of its campaign against Nazi Germany and its allies following the frontlines and the retreating Axis army Romania in particular was one of the targets of Stalin’s expansion campaigns The Soviet leader had agreed with his British and American allies that this country would remain in Moscow’s sphere of influence Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina were re-annexed An occupation army was stationed in Romania The “Tudor Vladimirescu” Division played a key role in the communists taking hold of Romania, which proves that the USSR had planned this years before its forces had even came anywhere near the Dniester. Moreover, the 2006 report of the Presidential Committee for Investigating the Communist Dictatorship in Romania specifies that the people at the top of the “Tudor Vladimirescu” Division had close ties with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the NKVD secret police Historian Anatol Petrencu points out that the creation of the Horea at a time when it could no longer be of any service in the war is further evidence of the USSR’s true intentions when using Romanian “volunteers” “The truth is that Moscow was home to many Romanian communists The latter would become the commander of the other Romanian division in the Red Army when it had become very clear that Germany was by now defeated And therein lies the question: why did the Russians create another division [...] Those who addressed Stalin and spread propaganda amongst Romanian prisoners were Romanian communists He agreed with the Romanian communists who saw Romania nost just a country liberated from German occupation And when the second division was created – Horea Cloşca and Crişan – at the end of the war it was already clear that the division led by Valter Roman was meant to bring and uphold communism in Romania if we look back at the toppling of King Michael” GRAIN OF TRUTH: The two divisions were forcefully made up of volunteers who fought alongside the Red Army during the Second World War Soldiers of the Tudor Vladimirescu division were met with enthusiasm by the civilian population upon entering Bucharest Disinformation uses a variety of manipulation tactics Disinformation stories can easily be created by combining provocative topics Interim president Ilie Bolojan wants to reduce the number of days off granted to public sector employees in Romania according to a well-known Romanian conspiracy theorist which was attacked with atomic bombs in 1945 Maia Sandu banned the celebration of the so-called “Victory Day” in the Republic of Moldova and the EU imposed a ban on the “Moldovan language” according to false narratives disseminated by Russian propaganda Razboi si propaganda: O cronologie a conflictului ruso-ucrainean" /> Razboiul lui Putin cu lumea libera: Propaganda, dezinformare, fake news" /> Developed by Treeworks The digital payments market in Romania is undergoing digital transformation and growing steadily every year only about 70 percent of the population has a bank account and uses digital or electronic payments so there is plenty of room for improvement in terms of Romanians’ access to financial services Business Review talked to Cosmin Vladimirescu General Manager at Mastercard Romania and Croatia about the state of the financial system and where we are headed   what can you tell us about Mastercard in Romania Mastercard is at the forefront of payment solutions driven by our vision of a world beyond cash and promote financial education and inclusion Alongside my team of passionate professionals through dedicated initiatives and strategic partners we promote the advantages of electronic payments for individuals   How would you describe the digital payments market in Romania today The digital payments market in Romania sees constant annual growth amid technology adoption and rapid digital transformation across all sectors of society. Key factors include financial education initiatives, regulatory enhancements, diversification of payment options to meet consumer demands, and the evolution of new technologies. According to National Bank of Romania data at the end of last year there were around 20.8 million active cards with this number continuing to grow year after year And since I previously mentioned proprietary data and insights we’ve developed a methodology that assesses the dynamics and the maturity of the payments ecosystem in Romania Its objective is to provide a valuable asset to a range of audiences and administrative bodies in setting their goals and agendas We launched the first edition of the index last year the Digital Payment Index in Romania scored 56 on a scale of 100 This result is calculated using the individual scores of three sub-indexes also rated on a scale of 1 to 100 each with equal share in the final score: 70 for Infrastructure The results reveal encouraging overall progress indicating a growing openness among Romanian consumers towards adopting digital payment solutions The share of the banked population in Romania has risen to 69% while the level of knowledge in terms of digital payment solutions has registered the most significant growth the use of cash remains the preferred option primarily due to security concerns and limited access to infrastructure in rural areas efforts should focus on infrastructure development and broader adoption of digital payment methods If you were to make a comparison between the Romanian market and the rest of the Central and Eastern European market Countries in the Central and Eastern European region have experienced significant growth rates and social progress in recent years This progress includes the adoption of global trends and modern technologies And we saw this in the findings of the 2022 Digital Payment Index which was carried out in four markets from the region thus providing an overview and a comparative perspective of the performance of each country fostering cross-border collaboration among stakeholders The global 2022 Digital Payment Index scores range from 56 to 64 points on a scale of 1 to 100 with an average of 61 points across the four countries The variation in index scores is primarily driven by Infrastructure scores the sub-index in which countries scored the highest implying that all have a strong foundation for digital payments Knowledge and Usage sub-indixes scored lower with a slight increase in the knowledge scores reflected by countries’ current endeavour of educating consumers about digital payment solutions These results underscore the importance of awareness campaigns and consumer education initiatives to drive digital payment adoption the maturity of new payment solutions plays a pivotal role in encouraging their adoption what innovations has Mastercard introduced to the Romanian digital payments market Mastercard has always been dedicated to advancing financial inclusion  and the adoption of electronic payments One such initiative was the introduction of card payment in agri-food markets across the country We initially tested this concept in 2015 by installing point-of-sale (POS) terminals at the Hala Traian market in Bucharest This experiment received positive feedback especially in a time when electronic payments had not yet gained widespread acceptance we started to expand acceptance nationwide to traditionally cash-only spaces consumers have been able to use their cards for payments at agri-food markets in cities such as Bucharest and Galati and we have been working to further expand the infrastructure to 9 other markets across the country This initiative has two main goals: on one hand integrating local producers into the digital economy helping them increase their customer base and sales making it easier for consumers to access local products by offering them the safest you no longer need to make sure you have cash in your wallet before you go to the market; you can pay directly by card Another example is our involvement in national social support programmes which contribute to increasing the level of education and financial inclusion among Romanians and support merchants to attract these volumes Mastercard introduced the notion of prepaid cards for social benefits in Romania back in 2016 and has since partnered up with the biggest social programme run exclusively under the Mastercard brand including the “Hot Meals” Programme for the elderly the “Educational Support” Programme to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds from school dropout the “Support for Romania” Programme for the most disadvantaged Romanian citizens who need support for the purchase of food and hot meals and the ”Newborn Support” Programme to assist low-income mothers with child care in the first months of life “Support for Romania” marked a national first as the largest electronic social vouchers programme in South-East Europe with 2.5 million cards issued to as many beneficiaries Through the products and services you offer you cover both the public and private sectors Can you briefly describe what Mastercard offers to business customers from a payment methods perspective And we do this through commercially relevant products and services that promote long-term sustainable growth for individuals and small businesses Digital financial services contribute to economic opportunities and help reduce social inequality while fostering global economic growth Through our commercial solutions and initiatives we empower businesses of all sizes to securely make and receive payments thus strengthening their business ecosystems One such solution is “Tap on Phone,” which turns mobile phones into contactless payments acceptance devices This cost-effective solution empowers small businesses to meet the needs of customers helping them increase sales and take their business to the next level All our initiatives subscribe to our global commitment of bringing 1 billion people and 50 million micro and medium enterprises (MSMEs) into the digital economy by 2025 with a direct focus on providing 25 million women entrepreneurs with solutions to help them grow their businesses How does payment technology influence Romania’s systemic development Technology is a vehicle for resilient and sustainable growth of individual business The digital acceleration has changed our way of life—from digital interactions of all kinds to the way we pay for goods and services Digital payments reduce friction and contribute to a healthier economy by providing consumers a simple along with convenient access to their funds they reduce the need for cash and check handling among merchants while expanding their customer bases Digital payments also offer benefits in terms of transparency and traceability they serve as the foundation for emerging sectors in the economy how is Romania doing in terms of digitalization and how does Mastercard contribute to this goal Digitalization is a top priority on the public agenda as evidenced by national strategies and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan According to data provided by the European Commission the digitalization of public services and the level of digital human capital are the areas where Romania ranks lowest of the EU27 but we are maintaining high rankings in the share of female ICT specialists in employment and ICT graduates The level of digitalization among Romanian businesses and individuals also differs between regions: unsurprisingly the level is greater in cities than in more rural areas A digital society harnesses information and communication technologies to interact with citizens offering advantages such as better access to information Mastercard Romania has consistently championed digitalization developing initiatives to increase the level of financial inclusion Mastercard is a trusted partner that helps governments develop and grow a safe prosperous digital economy that can benefit all stakeholders by activating the power of public-private partnerships to advance financial inclusion sustainable economic growth and citizen wellbeing Examples include the development of the Ghiseul.ro platform and the national social programmes for people from disadvantaged backgrounds What should be improved in this area and how could the digitalization of the local economy be accelerated the absence of universal digital standards hinders innovation and obstructs the potential for a more robust and inclusive global economy To cultivate a connected digital economy that benefits everyone it is imperative to enhance international collaboration and agreement on digital governance matters New regulatory efforts should prioritise the development of interoperable systems that instil trust and facilitate digital trade for businesses of all scales Reaching that potential requires closer collaboration and deeper engagement between the public and private sectors It is only through a collective effort that we are able to achieve common standards create technology that is inclusive by design and make our global digital economy work for everyone Mastercard is committed to working with public and private partners to establish common standards and build a global economy that works for everyone Are there best practices from other countries that Romania could adopt and adapt to the local context to improve and accelerate the digitalization process Digitalizing the economy has become a priority for many governments around Europe according to the The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) which monitors Europe’s overall digital performance and tracks the progress of EU countries in their digital competitiveness and Sweden are the EU frontrunners in terms of digitalization the European Commission has proposed a plan to achieve the targets set for the digital transformation of the continent by 2030: the Digital Decade The programme tracks four main points: a digitally skilled population and highly skilled digital professionals; secure and sustainable digital infrastructures; the digital transformation of businesses; and the digitalization of public services Public-private sector collaboration can aid policymakers in delivering on these goals digital transactions combined with the effective use of data supports inclusive What is the added value of the Ghiseul.ro platform Ghiseul.ro is a successful example of long-term public-private partnership and supported by Mastercard since its inception The project promotes the digitalization and modernisation of public services there are more than 1.9 million citizens registered on Ghiseul.ro and this number has increased especially in the last 3 years Based on the insight that over 70% of users access Ghiseul.ro from their phones Mastercard took a leading role in developing the Ghiseul.ro mobile app which since earlier this year has allowed Romanian citizens to pay their taxes and public services in a secure and easy way The app offers all the features of the Ghiseul.ro web platform and user-friendly options such as biometrics and real-time debt and payment status updates for taxes We will continue to enhance the app’s functionality making sure it adheres to the highest standards Can you tell us about the evolution of fringe benefits payroll cards in Romania and the benefits they bring to the local economy From basic health insurance to gym memberships the popularity and diversity of fringe benefits has soared over the past decade If you operate in a highly competitive industry where a skilled workforce is in high demand offering an innovative and useful fringe benefits package can be the key to attracting top talent Fringe benefits offer multiple advantages for employees they boost purchasing power and living standard by providing additional income beyond salaries increase social responsibility towards the employee and contribute to improving the social climate in the company the usage of fringe benefits attracts volumes and stimulates many other economic sectors culture vouchers) are exclusively granted via electronic means (cards) This measure has further promoted digital payments as these payments can be tracked and taxed Mastercard takes pride in being the exclusive partner of the three companies operating on the employee benefits market we can contribute to improving the efficiency of organisations and increasing the purchasing power of employees This piece was originally published in the Boston Jewish Advocate I hailed a taxi to take me to where I was meeting others—a traditional Romanian village Driving from Casa Lurca de Calinesti (next to the Elie Wiesel Memorial House) down Strada Tudor Vladimirescu (formerly Kigyó utca) we passed a long yard on the right “What is here?” I asked my twenty-something driver This shabby house on the right was where the Katz family lived; they hid valuables in their dry well and these grounds held meaning only for me A gathering in Sighet in traditional Romanian costumes Armed with stories about my mother’s childhood I visited her hometown of Sighet in May 2019—to finally see the place I had long wondered about to commemorate the deportation of the area’s more than 12,000 Jews to Auschwitz I tried to imagine streets filled with men and boys walking to synagogue grandmothers praying for the coming of the messiah Jews had once comprised 40% of Sighet’s population; the place was now homogeneous Young people in traditional Romanian costumes posed for photographs at a street fair Others congregated at the market or in cafés on the main thoroughfare The vibrant community that vanished two generations ago was—but for the mayor and some educators and the offspring of Jews who settled in Sighet after the war—forgotten Among the thirty of us on this pilgrimage was Elisha Wiesel He spoke about the time he came to Sighet with his father—who saw ghosts Elie had then told him that there were two Sighets: the Sighet of today and the Sighet in the heavens I yearned to know the Sighet frozen in cosmic space and time I wanted to see my grandmother stencil the walls of her family’s small apartment—between Kigyó utca and Timar utca—with a border design of blue and green vines I wanted to taste the fresh rolls my great-grandmother brought for her grandchildren every morning I wanted to smell the stone ground wheat produced at the neighborhood flour mill I consoled myself with what I could take from my visit: the surrounding scenery (the mountains had not moved) Our guide pointed out hidden signs of the existence of the town’s former inhabitants: Jewish stars carved into the floor of an alley off the main street; wrought iron railings with Jewish stars in a hotel; the shadow of a mezuzah on a doorpost Holding a directory of “before and after” street names (changed in the years after World War II) she helped my sister and me locate the spot of our forebears’ home Where my mother had lived for the first fourteen years of her life was now a mostly vacant lot with ramshackle sheds abutting communist-era-style apartments A gas station across the way was where the Talmud Torah synagogue once stood where my mother and her family prayed on holidays I followed my mother’s steps to the school she attended about a twenty-minute walk down Rosza utca or less time when she slid down ice-filled gutters on frigid days Farther along this street was the great synagogue In its stead is a cenotaph to the deported Jews she delivered geese to the great rabbi’s house next door She was proud that he trusted her grandmother His wife gave her a cookie when she went into their kitchen from which she could peek into the study filled with the rabbi’s disciples where the eminent couple conceived their four children It was a few short blocks from my mother’s apartment to the cinema Further down the main street is a courtyard—now home to stray dogs—stretching back to the famous Kahan house which was once elegant and is now dilapidated I could not climb the hill my mother hiked as a child Memorial at the Alte Shul Image by Bernice Lerner my mother and her family and three thousand other Jews—one of four transports—were forced to leave their homes Their first stop was the Mahazikei Torah synagogue They found it filled to the rafters with anguished men They then dragged themselves to the Alte Shul Each of the journey’s last legs is about a thirty-minute walk It took the ensnared—guarded by brutal Hungarian gendarmerie—hours They dropped prepared food and supplies along the road wondering whether any of the houses along the wide boulevard were the ones my mother had looked at wistfully She did not then know that she was on the way to Auschwitz where she would be forever separated from her mother Bernice Lerner is the author of All the Horrors of War: A Jewish Girl and the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen (Johns Hopkins University Press I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward American Jews need independent news they can trust At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S rising antisemitism and polarized discourse This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up Copyright © 2025 The Forward Association The extensive floods across Central and Eastern Europe have caused widespread devastation in several countries the storm unleashed torrential rains on 14 September 2024 severely impacting the counties of Galați and Vaslui the region was inundated with over 150 mm of rain per square meter resulting in flash floods that swept through multiple areas Galați suffered the most severe impact with floodwaters rising to depths of 1.5 to 2 meters in localities such as Cudalbi and Trestiana bore the brunt of the disaster More than 6,000 homes were damaged or destroyed across the two counties Approximately 400 individuals remain displaced and are being housed in temporary shelters provided by authorities leader in Romania in the distribution of coins and collection commemorative medals celebrates 200 since since the 1821 Revolution lead by Tudor Vladimirescu with the launch of a commemorative medal It will be offered with free title in a circulation of 50.000 copies Tudor Vladimirescu – emblematic figure of Tara Romaneasca’s history The revolution lead by Tudor Vladimirescu was it didn’t actually fail as its main politic purpose was achieved both Tara Romaneasca and Moldova ended a dark epoque of the Phanariot rulers The medal can be reserved on the official website www.medaliegratuita.ro or by phone at 021 9787 The persons ordering the medal only have to pay for the shipping and packaging – RON 14,99 The 2024 Central European floods in Romania were triggered by Storm Boris which brought torrential rains to the counties of Galați and Vaslui on 14 September over 150 mm of rainfall per square meter caused ash floods in several areas with flood waters reaching depths of 1.5 to 2 meters in the localities of Cudalbi severely damaging infrastructure such as roads More than 6,000 homes were either damaged or destroyed across both counties Around 400 people remain displaced and are currently being sheltered in temporary housing provided by authorities The restoration of critical infrastructure It will take weeks to months for damaged homes to become habitable again and the reconstruction of destroyed houses or relocation of affected people to safer areas will take even longer Many rural residents have lost livestock and crops depriving them of their main sources of income and those who have lost farming livelihoods are especially at risk during both the response and recovery phases Mastercard is launching a cashback campaign for those who pay their taxes with a Mastercard debit or credit card who choose to make these payments on the Ghiseul.ro platform and mobile application or on other online platforms provided by local administrations benefit of 10% cashback – up to 50 lei per cashback and up to 600 lei per card At the same time, they automatically enter into the draw for one of the 10 prizes, worth 5,000 lei, and the grand prize, worth 50,000 lei, offered as part of the “Less worries, extra benefits” campaign, organized by Mastercard between February 1 and March 31. more and more Romanians have accustomed to pay their taxes in the first part of the year in order to benefit from the 10% discount available until the end of March with a special type of financial pressure due to the current economic context the guaranteed 10% cashback now additionally offered by Mastercard is the specific way we support as many Romanians as possible in paying these expenses to the development of the Ghișeul.ro platform an example of a public-private partnership that aims to digitize and modernize public services and increase the level of public revenue collection We continued the mission with the development and launch of the Ghișeul.ro app the best digital option to pay taxes and fees safely Country Manager Mastercard Romania and Croatia The “Less worries, extra benefits” campaign regulation, which includes 10% guaranteed cashback and raffle prizes, is available on Mastercard’s website Mastercard is launching the Mastercard Tuesday program All eligible Mastercard cardholders with cards issued in Romania can enjoy cashback for eligible purchases made every Tuesday in certain selected industries “The day of the week with fewer transactions recorded in Romania coincides with the day when Romanians often feel uninspired or low on energy which we have set out to transform this year into Mastercard Tuesday – a day when we encourage Romanians to use their Mastercard even more to fulfill their wishes The debut campaign of the Mastercard Tuesday platform will focus on payments for taxes we are pleased to announce that the Ghișeul.ro platform has exceeded the threshold of 2 million active users at the beginning of this year Romanians can pay their taxes and fees anytime and enjoy financial benefits when paying by card,“ said Cosmin Vladimirescu General Manager Mastercard Romania and Croatia The program includes all bank issuers in Mastercard’s portfolio in Romania, and all eligible Mastercard cardholders* can access the benefits for free by enrolling their card at priceless.com/marti After enrolling the card and receiving the confirmation of enrollment on the platform cashback is automatically applied to the enrolled card for transactions made on Tuesdays during the campaign There is no need to register the card for each campaign separately; once enrolled cardholders will be able to automatically participate in all 4 campaigns within the program Mastercard presents Mastercard Premium Collection the brand’s first automatic cashback card payment program dedicated to the Premium segment in Romania that connects cardholders to a national network of more than 50 partners from a wide range of domains FREYWILLE and Max Mara are just a few of the partner merchants carefully selected for the program „Mastercard is committed to its mission to connect people with priceless possibilities and Mastercard Premium Collection represents our latest initiative that offers custom advantages to our cardholders while ensuring a secure and seamless payment experience What sets apart Mastercard Premium Collection from other programs on the market is the fact the benefits apply automatically without any other intervention on behalf of the merchant or the consumer customers are able to focus on what really matters while enjoying preferential advantages that also protect their income we are able to support merchants in enhancing the shopping experience for customers We want to thank our partners for co-creating this special program that uplifts the standards in the local premium segment” A wide variety for Premium cardholders to enjoy a fine selection of restaurants and other hospitality locations are ready to welcome gourmands and all clients with exquisite gastronomic experiences and to host unique moments shared with friends and family And when traveling, cardholders may choose charming destinations such as Conacul Archia, Conacul Brătescu or Wolkendorf Gastronomy. beauty and gifts categories are covered by partners ranking in the top of consumers’ preference including love brands such as TEILOR and Nike Mastercard Premium cardholders can also choose merchants in other segments premium transport services and home & deco Mastercard Premium Collection program’s current full network also includes partners from: Hospitality industry – 14th Lane (Bucharest) Leonidas (Bucharest in-store & national-online) Zăganu (Bucharest); Jewellery – TEILOR (national Comercianți de Diamante (Bucharest & national-online) IONA (Bucharest & national-online); Fashion & Beauty – GRID (Bucharest & national-online) Brasov); Home & Deco – ClassIN (in stores) Natuzzi (in stores) & Natuzzi Editions (in stores); Leisure – Complice (online) and Services – Limo Black (Bucharest) All offers are presented on www.priceless.com/premium-collection-RO where consumers are also able to consult appliable terms & conditions all new offers that will be added în the program will be activated automatically including for previously enrolled cards Individual card owners may enroll as many debit or credit eligible cards as they wish in the Mastercard Premium Collection program through www.priceless.com to enjoy the cashback when paying with any successfully enrolled card Each cashback trasaction will be described as „Mastercard Premium” which will make it very easy for card owners to identify and check it in the transaction history associated to an enrolled card For any additional information on the registration process, card and payment eligibility, offer availability and cashback collection, consumers may write to contact.romania@priceless.com For specific information on the products and services included in the offers best assistance will be ensured by partner merchants Mastercard Premium cardholders are invited to enroll their card and enjoy the benefits while clients that wish to have access to these advantages can require an eligible Mastercard Premium card from their bank Mastercard extends the Business Bonus program with new smart and convenient offers developed in collaboration with global and local partners to meet the specific needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and digitalization of small businesses by providing access to a range of discounted tools and solutions when paying with Mastercard Business cards issued by licensed financial institutions in Romania The program also includes offers for billing and business management solutions which are integrated with accounting software and banking applications Mastercard Business cardholders benefit from a 25% discount for a 3-year subscription to all FGO packages as well as a free first year subscription and a 25% discount for the second year on services offered by Oblio Mastercard Business cardholders benefit from a 13% discount on using the Waste Registry (Registrul Deșeurilor) app as waste management records are mandatory for all companies operating at their headquarters or a work location under the Emergency Ordinance (OUG) 92/2021 The Business Bonus program also includes offers developed in partnership with global including on business software, travel, shipping, and freelance contracting, providing convenient solutions for Mastercard Business cardholders. Romanian authorities have identified two locations where the fragments of russian drones were discovered following a recent attack on Ukraine The inspections were conducted after an overnight assault by russia on January 17 according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense of Romania involving military and law enforcement personnel found debris from russian-manufactured Geran-1/2 drones in two areas One site was located between the villages of Chatalchioi in Tulcea County and Tudor Vladimirescu in Botoșani County The other was situated south of Chilia Veche in Tulcea County The Ministry of Defense confirmed that no infrastructure was damaged and no material losses were reported as a result of the debris This discovery marks yet another instance of the regional impact of russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine raising concerns about the spillover effects of the conflict on neighboring countries Mastercard presented the latest innovations in digital payments going from the humanoid robot Pepper through to retail mirrors and smart tables to augmented reality that helps guide you through shopping without the need for a human assistant The latest technologies were presented at the Mastercard Technology Summit at the Parliament Palace The first day was dedicated to innovations while the second day will have a round table during which Mastercard will present a series of features meant to improve digital competences and integrate digital technologies Pepper the robot is one of the most spectacular innovations – it works as an assistant an information desk or any other form of interaction “officer” with customers The robot is already in use at the Pizza Hut Restaurants in Japan The app used extends the robot’s ability to integrate consumer services access to information and sales and gives a consistent user experience (identification through radiofrequency) and is dedicated to dressing rooms in clothes stores It can record customers’ size and color preferences and may recommend clothing items that match the products added to the cart It also allows direct payments in the dressing room so that the customer can wear the clothes they try on out of the store The Biometric Card combines chip technology and biometric authentication through fingerprint to safely identify cardholders when making purchases from the store. The Dreamhome AR: With the help of Artificial Reality this technology transforms the experience of furnishing a home into one that allows consumers to choose their furniture and make personalized real time tests according to the space they have at their disposal designed and developed by Mastercard for relaxation in airport restaurants The smart table turns airport waiting in a relaxing time allowing contactless payments and mobile apps NuData is a technology that allows behavioral biometry Technology demonstrates the ability to make the difference between two users who log on to a website devices that can be worn like smart watches and who receive payment functions through the Mastercard Enablement Services securing platform the percentage of electronic payments in total payments is only 8-9 percent up 130 percent over the same period last year Romania ranked 10th in the world in the contactless card absorption rate We brought these cards to Romania in 2008,” says Vladimirescu © Informatii-Romania.ro (the statue of Stephen the Great from Podul Înalt The 2nd of July would become a national commemoration day dedicated to the saint “Romanians have laws to celebrate Tudor Vladimirescu but they do not have a law to celebrate Stephen the Great The Prince of Moldavia deserves a celebration day established by law since he is OUR ONE AND ONLY Stephen the Great,” wrote on Facebook the bill’s author Neamț county representative in the Chamber of Deputies The bill proposes to hold cultural and academic events annually on July 2 with support from the central and local administrations The draft law was submitted to the Senate for debate on September 15 it was sent for opinion to the Economic and Social Council The arguments offered in the bill are the saint’s accomplishments: his military and political deeds marked the whole of Europe while his cultural patronage marked Romania’s cultural and spiritual heritage He was canonized by the Romanian Orthodox Church in 1992 the Patriarchate of Jerusalem solemnly celebrated the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women... Archbishop Elpidophoros of America celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of the Theotokos.. it was announced that two Roman Catholic institutions in Bavaria have decided to jointly.. A car once used by Pope Francis during his 2014 visit to Bethlehem is being transformed into a mobile.. the Monastery of Saint Vlash in Albania hosted a festal Divine Liturgy on the.. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece presided over the festal Great Vespers at the historic.. (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [] cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt callback: cb } ); } } }})(); © 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website Retailer Kaufland Romania opened its 100th store in the country Thursday in Drumul Taberei neighborhood in Bucharest This is also the chain’s ninth unit in the Romanian capital Kaufland Bucharest Tudor Vladimirescu created 200 jobs and its the retailer’s second store opening this week after on Wednesday the company opened a unit in Bacau According to information previously confirmed by the German company the investment for a new hypermarket varies between EUR 6 and 9 million Since the start of the year, the retailer opened stores in Arad, Targu Mures, Oradea, Targoviste, Bucharest and Gherla. It’s been 9 years since Kaufland entered the Romanian market and up till now the German retailer has created over 12,700 direct jobs The company posted a profit of RON 331 million (EUR 75 million) in 2013 while turnover increased 13 percent to RON 7.26 billion (EUR 1.64 billion) This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page German retailer Kaufland will open a store on Calea Ferentari in an area that so far hasn’t picked up any interest from the other hypermarket operators. The unit is situated on the Fapiro platform, writes economica.net Kaufland recently obtained the permits required to build a store on Calea Ferentari 62 infamous for being one of Bucharest’s most dangerous neighborhoods No other hypermarket chain has dared to enter in the fifth district except for Kaufland (with its Sebastian Unit) and more recently Carrefour which also opened a store on the Vulcan platform The Ferentari store will cover 13,358 square meters and will include an underground parking lot, according to the urban plan authorized by Bucharest town hall. Kaufland currently operates seven stores in Bucharest and will launch another three in the country’s capital by the end of the year providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used.