Clear proof that Austrian companies steal in Romania: Raiffeisen Bank damaged its clients with 22 million euros

By RBJ
The National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) announced on Friday that Raiffeisen Bank has started returning the sums for the damaged customers, and so far the sum of 13.4 million euros has been returned out of a total of almost 22 million euros . ANPC sent, on Friday, through a press release, that following the final decision pronounced by the High Court of Cassation and Justice, which confirmed Order no. 837/20.10.2017, issued by the president of the National Authority for Consumer Protection in relation with unfair commercial practices of Raiffeisen Bank SA, intended to affect the financial interests of consumers, from the period 2006-2009, the bank began returning the amounts established by the Order to the concerned consumers.
“I don’t know in what period and if the Romanian authorities will ever be guilty of any abuse towards Austrian companies. Permanently, when an economic operator does not like the visits of the representatives of the Romanian state, he accuses abuses, without being able to support them in any way. Here, instead, as the courts have validated, the visit made by the commissioners of the National Authority for Consumer Protection revealed something completely different. The victims seem to be the more than 9,000 consumers who were charged more money than would have been fair. It’s like we’re at Radio Yerevan, in the bank where not he, but she, didn’t give, but stole. This situation shows that the economic operator is the one who walked into the consumers’ pockets, and now they have to give them their money back”, said ANPC president, Horia Constantinescu.
According to the cited source, up to this moment, Raiffeisen Bank SA has reimbursed approximately 5,530 customers, with active accounts in the credit currency and accounts in lei, for the payment of the calculated legal interest, starting on November 21, 2021, approximately 13,400,000 euros (respectively 10,930,000 euros representing amounts from the calculations made for the implementation of the order and approximately 2,470,000 euros representing the legal interest).
ANPC stated that for approximately 3,050 customers, who have amounts to receive, following the calculations performed, but who do not have active accounts in the credit currency or in lei, at Raiffeisen Bank SA, at this moment, and who have approximately 7,200 .000 euros (respectively 6,260,000 euros, representing sums derived from the calculations made for the implementation of the order and approximately 940,000 euros representing the legal interest), the refunds have not yet been made.
They are expected, at any of the Raiffeisen Bank offices, to indicate, in writing, the account – opened at any other bank – in which the amounts can be returned to them, according to the Order, as well as the legal interest.
Raiffeisen Bank will return to consumers, in total, following the application of the ANPC President’s Order, a total amount of approximately 21.7 million euros, which also includes the related legal interest, the National Authority for Consumer Protection also sent.
P.S.: And the Chancellor of Austria is lying
The Romanian authorities did not put pressure on us and we will continue to support the steps for Romania’s accession to the Schengen area, states the management of Raiffeisen Bank Romania, in a press release.
“Raiffeisen Bank unequivocally confirms the statement made by the ERSTE-BCR and emphasizes that there was no pressure from the authorities on it either”, it is mentioned in a statement sent to Agerpres on Friday.
The President & CEO of Raiffeisen Bank Romania, Zdenek Romanek, emphasized: “We fully support Romania’s accession to the Schengen area and we will continue to support the efforts of the authorities to achieve this goal.”
Previously, ERSTE-BCR representatives also told the media that no pressure was applied to the bank.
These clarifications come after the Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer allegedly spoke about Romania’s alleged pressure on some Austrian companies.