Speaking on a TV program, renowned historian Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı claimed that foreign intelligence agencies are behind the migration from Türkiye to Western countries.
Speaking on CNN Turk, Ortaylı pointed a finger at foreign intelligence organizations that play a "very big share" in encouraging people to go abroad. "They want Turkish citizens to hate Türkiye and flee," Ortaylı underlined, explicitly accusing German intelligence organizations of being "very active" behind social media to achieve these aims.
Here are keynotes from Prof. Dr. Ortaylı's televised comments:
"I'll go to Europe and be saved" – you won't be saved. It's very dangerous, and they're in love with a world they don't know, which is very bad. What families used to think about was saving their children from terror. Now there are more modest wishes like: "Let the child not fall into despair, let them at least learn a language, even if poorly." Of course, kids dream. Everyone builds a world in their own head. There are America admirers; right-wing, left-wing, it doesn't matter. This is very dangerous.
Don't put so much faith in the place you go… Now they're there, they have certain means. A car, a house bought with a mortgage… (The idea that the West is safe) It's just perception, because everyone rushes to it. Reality hits later. When it hits, they've already accepted it. We should also accept this: Turks are a hardworking people with high adaptability. They adapt to whatever there is and say "Thank God" and carry on. It's not just the devout man from Konya; the tough lad from Istanbul says this too. It's very hard for them to come back.
(In the West) There are places where you can't even walk in the street. England is in that situation now, full of thieves. Despite all its sordidness, Istanbul cannot receive a bad grade in terms of safety. It's only recently starting to deteriorate in certain local areas. Ten years ago, the neighborhood folk would beat up drug dealers and throw them into the police station. Today, in those same places, they themselves are involved in that business.
(In encouraging people to go abroad) Foreign organizations have a very big share. They want Turkish citizens to hate Türkiye and flee. There are people encouraging this. Behind social media stand German intelligence organizations, among other specific aims. They are very active. Influencing the ethnic groups of the Turkish people to create this sort of thing – this is very clear. They are reaching all the way into universities. In that regard, one must be careful, but there isn't much that can be done. You must launch a counter-offensive through social media yourself; you have no other choice."
