Slavery does exist in the Principalities. According to written sources, the Gypsies migrated here quite late, around the beginning of the 18th century. They are at least 260,000 nowadays. All those born of Gypsy parents are slaves.In Turkey, slaves are part of the family. Here, things are utterly different. As slaves, Gypsies have no rights at all. They can only marry each other. If someone agrees to marry his Gypsy woman to someone else's Gypsy man, he will lose the woman and all of her children. A Gypsy man who marries a free woman without having received permission from his master may be forced to divorce her.
by Dimitrie Bolintineanu
