Polish PM Cancels Memorial Trip For Presidential Jet Crash
Muhammad Irfan Published April 03, 2020 | 01:20 PM
Warsaw, April 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Apr, 2020 ) :Poland's prime minister on Friday cancelled a memorial visit to Russia marking 10 years since the Polish presidential jet crashed near the western city of Smolensk, killing all aboard including then-president Lech Kaczynski.
"The decision was made overnight to postpone the date of the visit, which was to take place on April 10, 2020 in Smolensk," Michal Dworczyk, head of the prime minister's chancellery, told state broadcaster TVP Info.
He said the move was dictated by the COVID-19 lockdown in place both in Poland and Russian to stem the spread of the deadly disease.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki had been due to head government and parliamentary delegations to pay respect to the 96 people who perished when the Russian-made Tupolev Tu-154 presidential jet crashed on landing in thick fog at an air field near Smolensk in 2010.
The disaster occurred as the top-level presidential delegation was heading to a commemoration in Russia's Katyn forest for some 22,000 Polish army officers killed by Soviet secret police in 1940 -- a massacre the Kremlin denied until 1990.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the powerful leader of Poland's governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, who is also the late president's identical twin brother, has long insisted the crash was no accident.
Kaczynski has accused the liberal Civic Platform (PO) opposition party of being "morally responsible" for the crash, but has failed to provide convincing evidence to back his claims.
An official investigation in the wake of the crash conducted under the previous PO government blamed bad weather, errors by the Polish pilots and Russian air traffic controllers for the disaster.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
21 hours ago -
Kite Flying: From cultural festival to deadly sport
22 hours ago -
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
4 days ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
5 days ago -
Intellectuals, writers accolades Naseer Mirza on his literary contribution
5 days ago -
Bahawalpur Adabi Sangat hosts memorable mushaira
6 days ago
-
Cattle farming vital to alleviate poverty in rural areas
6 days ago -
Pakistan: A land of tourism, archeological wonders
6 days ago -
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
8 days ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
12 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
13 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
13 days ago