Emergence Of The Vlach Millet

The official recognition of the Vlachs as a separate nation/millet strengthened the Vlachs while causing the Greek and Rûm Orthodox Church to add new elements to their policies of assimilation of the Vlachs. These policies are: The propaganda focused on the Vlachs and the injustices of those who opposed it, was to distribute money to persuade the Vlachs, to bribe the Ottoman officials to make them work comfortably, and to neutralize the opposing Vlachs through violence by means of Greek gangs. Vlachs tried to resist this Greek policy by taking advantage of Romanian protection and Ottoman law. The national awakening of the Vlachs suffered a great blow, and some of them were forced to emigrate to Romania. Vlachs live today in Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, and in a very small number in Turkey. They attach great importance to the day when the Ottoman State recognized them as a separate "Nation/Millet." In Macedonia, 23 May is celebrated as the "Vlach (Arumen) National Day," and it is a public holiday for the Vlachs.