The Turkish Foreign Ministry has summoned the Italian Ambassador in connection with the statement by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who named the latter as dictators, Sabah reported.

In a tweet, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey strongly condemns Draghi's unacceptable, populist and ugly statements about Erdogan. He added that Turkey is returning the remarks made.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Italian ambassador was immediately summoned because of unacceptable remarks.

Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin also criticized Draghi’s remarks, calling them “baseless.”

“We condemn this statement and expect him to revise it in any case,” Kalin noted.

Meanwhile, communications Director Fahrettin Altun said the Italian prime minister "exceeded the limits" by describing Erdoğan as a "dictator."