The developments in Turkey may follow a new course, in the face of anti-government forces’ goal to destabilize the country, political expert said.

He noted forces against Turkish authorities’ policy of “neo-Osmanism” behind the mass protests in the country.

At June 5 press conference, Sergey Shakaryants deemed superpowers’ intervention in Turkey’s political developments possible in the near future.

“The great powers may even have a direct involvement in splitting the country,” he said.

The protests began on a small scale last week in opposition to plans to redevelop Gezi Park in Istanbul but have since taken on wider political demands.

The demonstrators say the park is one of the few green spaces in Istanbul, and object to the loss of public space for commercial purposes.