Turkey points finger at NATO allies as Erdogan slams Bogazici protests, Western interference

Rahshan Saglam 
Press TV, Istanbul

Bogazici University continues protesting the appointment of AKP affiliated rector. University academics turned their back on the newly appointed rector’s office as a symbol of objection. The academics called for the resignation of Melih Bulu, the rector that was appointed by the Turkish president.

Protests have been going on for weeks now with police arresting hundreds. Demonstrations broke out in early January when the president appointed Melih Bulu, an academic with strong ties with the ruling party, as the new rector for Bogazici University; students and academics complained that the appointment broke a decades-long tradition of Bogazici rectors being elected from within the university academic team. 

The Bogazici crisis gathered support from other universities and oppositions who saw in this new trial from the president to force control over the country after granting himself sweeping powers after the coup attempt in 2016.

Erdogan said the protests are not led by students, claiming it is organized by opposition parties.

The Turkish president also slammed the US and France for their reaction to the protests, mentioning the incidents took place ahead of US elections and calling French President Emanuel Macron to take care of the Yellow Vests protests in his country before meddling in Turkey’s affairs.

Erdogan argued that the law grants the president the authority to appoint rectors and that he had done it before in other universities.

The Bogazici protests brings to mind the huge Gezi park protests held years ago with many saying that it will continue because the problem is in the system itself.

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