Romania’s self-proclaimed “King of Gypsies” Florin Cioaba died Sunday (August 18) of cardiac arrest in a Turkish hospital. Cioaba, 58, suffered a mild heart attack last Tuesday (August 13) and was admitted in a hospital in Antalya, where he was in holidays with his family.

Romania’s president Traian Basescu, who on some occasions joined Florin Cioaba during Roma festivities, sent condolences. “I have learned, with deep sorrow, the news about Florin Cioaba’s death. It is a time of deep grief for Florin Cioaba’s family and for the entire Roma community, to which I address my entire sympathy and support,” reads the president’s message.

The president’s daughter Elena Basescu also expressed her support for Florin Cioaba’s family.

Dorin Cioaba, the son of Romania’s self-proclaimed “King of Gypsies”, said he wants to seek financial support from the Romanian state to pay the hospital bill, which amounts to USD 350,000, explaining his family can’t afford to pay.

According to the Romanian prime minister Victor Ponta, quoted by local news agency Mediafax, Florin Cioaba’s family will receive help from the state, but only to the extent provided by the law for all Romanian citizens.

Florin Cioaba, born in November 1954, was a respected member of the Roma community in Romania. He proclaimed himself “King of Gypsies around the world” in 2007, shortly after his father Ion Cioaba died.

In September 2003, Florin Cioaba sparked controversy when he married his 12 year-old daughter Ana-Maria to Mihai Bitrita, a Roma boy aged 15. However, following the wave of criticism, he promised to work to uproot the tradition of child marriages among the Roma.

Florin Cioaba also encouraged Roma families to send their children to school during his attempt to fight poverty resulting from a lack of education.

Cioaba was elected president of the International Roma Organization in April this year.

Earlier this month, on August 8, another respected member of the Roma community Nicolae Gheorghe, died at 66. He was a Romanian Roma sociologist and political activist, also known as a campaigner for the right of Roma community.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com