The Italian Ambassador to Ankara was immediately summoned to our Ministry on April 8th evening, over the unacceptable statements made by the Prime Minister of Italy about our President, the same day.

Deputy Minister and Director of EU Affairs Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı emphasized to the Italian Ambassador that we strongly condemn the statements of the appointed Italian Prime Minister, targeting our President, a leader who has been elected by the highest popular vote support in Europe, and that we expect these impertinent and improper statements, which we cannot link in any way to the Turkish-Italian friendship and alliance, to be withdrawn immediately.

It was also notified to the Ambassador that the statements, which were made without being informed about the protocol arrangements regarding the EU Council and the EU Commission Presidents’ visits to our country, are unacceptable, that no one should question Turkey’s hospitality, that Turkey would not be a part of meaningless and ill-intentioned discussions within the EU, and that we find futile the efforts to undermine the Turkey-EU positive agenda.