Death Of Polish President Mourned by Thousands in Warsaw
An estimated 100,000 people gathered in the Polish capital city of Warsaw to mourn the death of their president amidst the wail of sirens bells of churches.
Many were seen filed into Warsaw’s Pilsudski Square carrying red and white Polish flags with black ribbons to mourn President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and 94 other people, including many top officials, killed in last Saturday's plane crash in Russia.
Interim President told the gathering that with the crash their world came “crashing down”. A state funeral has been organized for the president and his wife who will be buried on Sunday in Krakow. While various dignitaries and political leaders had planned to attend the funeral, some of them have been forced to cancel the plan due to the ash cloud cover over northern Europe.
Mr. Kaczynski had been traveling to a memorial service honoring 22,000 Polish military officers and others executed by the Soviets in the Katyn forest in World War Two.
Sunday’s catholic mass will include a catholic mass, hymns, and a military gun salute. It will be followed by an overnight vigil for Mr. Mr. Kaczynski and his wife.
Many said that while this is a unthinkable tragedy, but it has made people to come together to say goodbye to their president. Poland’s chief of armed forces, the director of the central bank, and the deputy foreign minister were among the others who were killed in the plane crash near Smolensk, Russia.
Others who perished include 90-year-old Ryszard Kaczorowski, who was the last president-in-exile while Poland was under communism, and iconic labor leader Anna Walentynowicz. Interim president Komorowski in the meanwhile has informed that the date for presidential election will be announced next week.
