Turkish Government Accused of Hijacking Boosted Science Budget

28.4 news 1055 MH 26/4/05 2:54 pm Page 1055

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Tamara Grüner,Munich The government of Turkey is wresting control of the country’s main research council for political ends. That’s the accusation of prominent Turkish scientists who fear that recent appointments and legal changes are

attempts to channel a growing science bud- M. OZER/AFP/GETTY IMAGES get towards the government’s supporters. This week, parliament is considering the government’s second attempt to increase its control over TÜBITAK, Turkey’s main science funding body.The government made its first attempt in 2003, but the law it forced through was later overturned by the country’s highest court. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently tripled the council’s budget to $300million,as part of Turkey’s negotiations for membership of the European Union.But Prime Minister Erdogan has poured money into Turkish science, but may have jeopardized its autonomy. it is clear that he would like more control over how the money is spent. get Erdogan’s appointments annulled. Pak States, governments appoint the officials TÜBITAK, set up in 1963 as an indepen- accuses the government of sacrificing who run the institutes that distribute public dent organization, has an executive board TÜBITAK’s scientific independence: “It science funding. But decisions about where that elects new members, who are then changed the law to stop my return,”he says. the money goes are generally supported by appointed by the prime minister. The board Turkey’s scientific community has been a robust system of peer review. also elects a president,who must be endorsed left in disarray. Several directors of research Many scientists in Turkey fear the new law by the president of the republic, currently institutes have resigned or been dismissed, will mean that projects get funding because of Ahmet Necdet Sezer. including Naci Görür, the director of the political considerations rather than scientific The trouble started in 2003, when Erdo- main research facility operated by TÜBITAK, merit.“This would mean the end of indepen- gan refused to endorse the appointment of the Marmara Research Centre. They have dent scientific research,”says Sengor. six new TÜBITAK board members. He also been replaced by government appointees. But Ömer Anlagan, a vice-president of refused to pass on to Sezer the board’s recom- TÜBITAK and a mechanical engineer at the mendation that its president, physicist Legal confusion Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Namik Kemal Pak, should be appointed for a With the rejection of the 2003 law, denies that TÜBITAK’s autonomy is under second term. The right-leaning Erdogan and TÜBITAK’s legal status has become unclear. threat:“On the contrary, it will be much bet- the more left-wing Sezer clashed over the Some TÜBITAK-funded researchers have ter.”He argues that the government’s moves issue and the government quickly passed a already been excluded from international were necessary to get rid of cronyism. “The law allowing it to appoint unelected members projects after collaborators were advised by old board members always selected the same and to name the board’s president. lawyers not to get involved, according to people.” He also denies that the new board It then appointed six members and an act- Celal Sengor, a geologist at Istanbul Techni- members are underqualified.“Some of them ing president, engineer Nuket Yetis of Mar- cal University who currently holds the are from top universities,”he says. mara University in Istanbul.The new arrivals international chair of the Collège de France. Board member Abdullah Atalar,an electri- were not welcome: four vice-presidents “What has happened to TÜBITAK is a scan- cal engineer from the University of Bilkent, resigned, saying that TÜBITAK had been dal of unprecedented proportion and an is enthusiastic about TÜBITAK funding.“We “taken under political control”. And several affront to science,”he says. have given 200 young scientists annual grants scientists complained that the new board To resolve the body’s status, the govern- of $100,000,” he says. “That has never hap- members were not sufficiently qualified. ment needs to change the law. Last week, it pened before in TÜBITAK’s history.” But The main opposition party challenged the proposed a law that would divide control of fellow member Sevket Ruacan is uneasy: “It is law in the Supreme Constitutional Court,and board appointments equally between the not certain what the criteria for support were.” won in January last year. But Pak and several government and independent organizations. A decision on the proposed law is colleagues are still involved in legal battles to In many countries, including the United expected in the next fortnight. ■