General

Poland sets election date amidst unrest over burial decision

Some say late president not worthy of king, hero status

As Poland’s ruling party announces it will likely hold elections June 20, there is growing unrest among the grief-stricken population about the burial plans for the late president. There were protests in Krakow after a senior cardinal decided that Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria will be buried at Wawel Cathedral—a site occupied by kings and national heroes. In a front-page editorial, the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza derided the move as “hasty and emotional.” Others argued that if Kaczynski, who was among 96 people killed in a weekend plane crash over Russia, had died by natural causes, Wawel would never have been considered as a possible burial site. Before his death, support for Kaczynski had dropped to 20 per cent.

Reuters

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