Commemorations marking the 16th anniversary of the Smolensk disaster included religious services, a memorial service, and a speech by Jarosław Kaczyński demanding a full investigation.
Smolensk Disaster Commemorations Begin
The 16th anniversary observances of the Smolensk disaster began with a mass at the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph the Betrothed in Warsaw at 8:00 AM, held in memory of the victims.
Following the mass, a memorial service was held before the Presidential Palace. Karol Nawrocki and representatives of Law and Justice then paid tribute, laying flowers at monuments commemorating Lech Kaczyński and the victims of the 2010 Smolensk tragedy.
Kaczyński Accuses Government of Lies, Calls for Investigation
Jarosław Kaczyński delivered a speech, stating that the current state of the country is the opposite of what his brother, the late President Lech Kaczyński, envisioned – a strong yet just Poland.
Kaczyński criticized the current government, claiming a crisis has gripped the nation since the 2023 parliamentary elections, and asserted that the country is experiencing “lies, lies, and once again lies.”
“It Was an Attack”
Kaczyński reiterated his belief that the Smolensk disaster was an “attack,” stating that Russia, or anyone else, should not be allowed to murder Polish elites or citizens.
He emphasized the need to establish the truth about Smolensk officially through Polish authorities, parliament, and diplomacy, acknowledging the extensive work of Antoni Macierewicz.
Public Response and Official Report
As Kaczyński mentioned Antoni Macierewicz, the crowd responded with chants of “Antoni.”
The final report by the State Commission for Investigation of Air Accidents in July 2011 attributed the crash to descending below the minimum altitude at excessive speed in atmospheric conditions preventing visual contact with the ground, leading to a collision.
Cardinal Ryś Calls for Unity
During the commemorations at Wawel Cathedral, Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś focused on the dream of a Poland without conflict, while Archbishop Jędraszewski was notably absent.
Background of the Disaster
On April 10, 2010, a Tu-154M aircraft departed Warsaw carrying a Polish delegation en route to the 70th anniversary commemoration of the Katyn massacre.
The plane, carrying 96 people including President Lech Kaczyński, his wife Maria Kaczyńska, and high-ranking officials, crashed while approaching Smolensk airport, resulting in no survivors.
