(MENAFN) A contentious political battle is unfolding in Poland over the investigation into the 2010 plane crash that claimed the life of then-President Lech Kaczynski and several other prominent figures. The head of the commission tasked with probing the incident, former Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, has vowed to defy the government's decision to shut down the commission, accusing it of spreading "lies" about Russia's role in the tragedy.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Wladislaw Kosiniak-Kamysz ordered the closure of the commission, alleging that it had engaged in misinformation and spent exorbitant amounts on politically motivated activities unrelated to the crash investigation. The commission, formed in 2015 by Law and Justice (PiS) party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, sought to reexamine the circumstances surrounding the crash, with Kaczynski asserting that Russia was culpable.
In a press conference, Minister of State at the Defense Ministry Cezary Tomczyk accused the commission of acting against the interests of the Polish state. Despite the closure orders, Macierewicz, who chaired the panel, has declared his intention to continue the investigation until next August, as initially planned.
The political backdrop of the investigation is marked by longstanding animosities, with Kaczynski contending that Russia was responsible for the crash, and accusing President Donald Tusk's Civic Platform party, which oversaw the initial investigation, of a cover-up. With Civic Platform now back in power and the commission ordered to cease its activities, the situation raises questions about the independence of the investigative process and the potential implications for Poland's stance on the plane crash. Macierewicz emphasizes that the government is legally bound to accept the commission's final report as the official position on the incident, adding a layer of complexity to the ongoing political turmoil.
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