The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) of Turkey has decided that there is nothing offensive in former presidential candidate—and incumbent President—Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s words, which he had expressed about Armenians during the election campaign season and on the air of a TV company.

The RTÜK members from the opposition parties had demanded to put Erdogan’s well-known interview on the council agenda, reported Cumhuriyet daily of Turkey. They had stated that Erdogan had offended the Armenians with those words.

RTÜK’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) members, however, disagreed with the opposition members, and claimed that Erdogan’s words were within the limits of ethics.

But the AKP claim was put to a vote and it passed, since most RTÜK members were the supporters of the ruling party.

In a TV interview, then PM and presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said:

“My roots are from [Turkey’s] Rize [city]. [But] they were saying that I’m Georgian. What is more, someone stood up and said a dirtier thing claiming that I’m Armenian.”