Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sparked an outrage in Turkey by saying on live tv program he was “even worse, called an Armenian” in what many have condemned as “racist” remarks that are insulting towards minorities in Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister and Presidental candidate  Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated in the television program ”I was called a Georgian. I apologize for this, but they even said [something] worse: They called me an Armenian,” Erdogan said, adding, “But I’m a Turk.”

PM Erdogan’s apparently racist remarks have sent chills across Turkey and have lit up social media accounts, with many condemning him for insulting his own Armenian citizens. This is not the first time Erdogan has “apologized” for mentioning the name of a minority group in Turkey. In the past, he has apologized for mentioning the word “Rum” (Greek).

Erdogan’s remarks came in the midst of a debate about controversial remarks he made last week, when he called on main opposition leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu to acknowledge that he is an “Alevi” in what many experts argued was an attempt by the prime minister to bolster support among his mostly Sunni base. He said “I’m Sunni” and stated that no one, including Kılıcdaroglu, should hesitate to unveil his or her identity.