(ANSA) - Rome, August 2 - Premier Matteo Renzi said Tuesday Italy's judges answer to the Constitution, not to the president of Turkey. His remarks came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a money-laundering probe into his son Bilal in Italy might compromise bilateral relations. "In Italy we have an autonomous, independent judiciary, which acts according to the law and combats all forms of lawlessness," said Renzi. "Judges answer to the Italian Constitution and not to the Turkish president. We call this system the rule of law, and we're proud of it".

Prosecutors in the northern city of Bologna are investigating Bilal, who is studying at John Hopkins University there, as part of a money laundering probe. The inclusion of Erdogan's son in the list of people under investigation follows a petition to authorities from Turkish businessman Murat Hakan Uzan, a political opponent of Erdogan who is wanted by Turkish authorities and is in exile. The petition asks Italian police to investigate potential sums of money brought to Italy by Bilal, 35, who had officially returned to Italy in autumn 2015 to resume PhD studies he began in 2007 at John Hopkins University in Bologna.

Erdogan said on Tuesday that an Italian investigation involving his son could put Turkey's relations with Italy "in difficulty". During an interview on RAI News 24, Erdogan said Italy "should be handling the mafia instead".

