The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Education Policies Commission Co-Spokesperson Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit said in a written statement: "The Council of Higher Education - YÖK - which was established by the junta regime to control universities and implement a pressure mechanism after the 12 September 1980 military coup, continues to exist with the same mentality today."

The statement continued: “YÖK, which is the biggest obstacle to universities being autonomous, free and democratic, stands in a place that grows unqualified education as a reflection of the policies of the government. The Council of Higher Education is the main reason for academic dismissal, unlawful disciplinary investigations, punishments initiated by the State of Emergency decrees, and the fact that even academic and scientific production in universities has become impossible. The Decree-Law regime, which was put into practice by the Council of Higher Education after the state of emergency declared after the 15 July 2016 coup attempt, has brought a scientific wasteland in universities to the top.”

The party said that “in order to provide democratic, autonomous, scientific and mother tongue education in the field of higher education, YÖK should be removed. Universities should not be run by rectors appointed by a single person, but by boards elected by the common will of university members.”