Poles commemorate fifth anniversary of Smolensk crash

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Smoleńsk catastrophe. A presidential Tu-154 with 96 people on board crashed upon approach to Smolensk military airport which was shrouded in thick fog on April 10, 2010. Military and government staff, including President Lech Kaczyński and his wife lost their lives. The even has deeply divided Poles. The ruling party PO (Civic Platform) and the opposition party PiS (Law and Justice), led by Jarosław Kaczyński, are holding separate events to commemorate the event. Crowds of mourners regularly take part in marches and events across the country every month. The division regarding the legacy of the crash is compounded by competing theories that range from a bomb attack to irresponsible flight procedures or pressure on aircraft pilots. The recent survey by Ariadna shows that most Poles are saddened (36 percent) by the anniversary, with 27 percent saying that they are indifferent and 17 percent being resentful towards the commemorations. 15 percent of respondents answered "don't know" when asked about their emotions regarding the event.