The Presidency's Directorate of Communications Center for Combating Disinformation stated in a post on its social media account regarding the matter that there was no agreement, or even any discussion, concerning the "sending of African migrants to Turkey" during Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to Turkey.
The statement indicated that it was determined that the claims regarding Italy sending Africans to Turkey emerged following a report in the "Il Giornale" newspaper, which is close to Italy's right-wing coalition government.
The statement, which noted that upon examination of the report, it was determined that there was no expression or comment suggesting that "Italy will send Africans to Turkey," included the following remarks:
"It has been determined that the statement by Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı, who accompanied Meloni during her visit to the Grand Bazaar, on a television channel saying, 'Italy wants to send African migrants to Turkey,' was cut from the context of the conversation and served for the purpose of manipulation. This statement is not an account from Meloni by Ortaylı, but rather the voicing of claims circulating on social media. Clear disinformation is being spread by claiming that Ortaylı conveyed this statement as something he heard from Meloni. When the entire broadcast is examined, it is determined that İlber Ortaylı was criticizing the claims circulating on social media regarding 'Fascist Meloni' and that 'Africans would be sent to Turkey'."
The statement also emphasized that baseless claims should not be given any credence.
News Source: AA
