S&D Group president Gianni Pittella said today:

"European institutions are deaf and blind to the many international crises around us. It is a shame that the European Council president, Herman Van Rompuy, refused to call an extraordinary meeting as we officially requested. It is a shameful conduct that we regret and harshly condemn. In the face of persecutions, civilian casualties and flagrant violations of human rights, we can no longer remain silent.

"It is unacceptable to wait until 30 of August to hear some European shy whispers on tragedies like Gaza, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine.

"That is why I - and the S&D Group as the only group in the European Parliament to have emphasised the need for the EU to play an active role in favour of peace - feel it is imperative to launch an awareness campaign that will have the title #EuwakeUp.

"In every member state, thanks to media tools, socialists and democrats will speak out and loud and clear to make european citizens aware that this is not the European Union we want. We can no longer tolerate the European institutions attitude. We must all counter the inconclusiveness and immobility demonstrated so far by the European Commission and the European Council.

"Europe cannot turn away and pretend nothing is going on. Europe cannot go on holiday and wait until the end of the summer to take decisions while the world around us is on fire.

"Europe - homeland of the rule of law - has a moral and political duty to act in order to defend human dignity, religious, ethnic and cultural diversities.

"Europe can no longer accept war in the name of God. Europe cannot tolerate that the existence of Israel is again under attack, but neither that a legitimate defence turns into disproportionate violence against civilians, women and children.

"We want Europe to be the leading actor in all peace processes.

"We can no longer remain silent. We don't want to feel ashamed of our institutions any longer.

"We have to act now and act together.

"Europe wake up!"