Head of Smoleńsk commission resigns after Caracal controversy

The head of the Smoleńsk commission Wacław Berczyński resigned from his post, after he gave an interview in which he boasted about his involvement in canceling the helicopter tender in which Airbus Caracal machines were chosen. Berczyński said that due to “personal reasons” he will be unable to travel to Poland from the US, where he lives, thus making it impossible for him to continue his job. Earlier last week, Berczyński gave an interview to Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily, in which he bragged that he “killed the Caracal deal. The previous Polish government ordered 50 Caracal machines for PLN 13.5 billion, but the new Law and Justice (PiS) cabinet canceled it and within few days announced its decision to buy at least 21 Black Hawk helicopters from Lockheed Martin. A new tender was announced, but the results of it have not been announced yet. After Berczyński's interview, the ministry of defense denied that he had any access to the case Berczyński has been replaced by Kazimierz Nowaczyk, the former deputy head of the commission.