Poland’s government members were criticised for attending commemorations for the plane crash near the Russian city of Smolensk, despite the ban on public gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic.
More than a dozen government members, without protective masks, joined ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski in the ceremonies in Warsaw Friday for the 10th anniversary of the crash that killed Kaczynski’s twin, then-president Lech Kaczynski. Scores of members of a high-level Polish delegation, also died in the crash as the plane approached an airport near Smolensk.
Media and ordinary Poles have slammed the government, saying it disrespected its own restrictions imposed to fight the virus. An opposition party leader notified prosecutors that attendance greatly exceeded the maximum permissible five people.
Government spokesman Piotr Mueller on Tuesday defended the gathering, saying the ceremonies were part of government members’ duties and were “not banned” under regulations permitting people to go to work.
Earlier, cyclists and walkers who infringed social distancing rules have been fined almost €3,000.
Kaczynski also came under strong public criticism for taking a limousine Friday to his mother’s grave in Warsaw’s Powazki cemetery, which is closed to the public. State-run media later said Kaczynski had a special permission to enter the cemetery.
The government in recent days faces major criticism for refusing to postpone the election scheduled for May 10 amid the pandemic.
