MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Polish tragedy marks European Union first day of official mourning

Flags at half mast across Europe

Russia and the European Union marked Monday an official day of mourning as Poland observes a week of commemoration following the deaths of President Lech Kaczynski, the first lady, and dozens of senior Polish leaders and military officials in a plane crash in Russia on Saturday.

EU member Poland began a week of national mourning on Sunday as Kaczynski’s body arrived in the capital, Warsaw, from the Russian town of Smolensk, near where the presidential plane crashed. His flag-draped coffin was met by acting President Bronislaw Komorowski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Also on the tarmac were Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the president's twin brother and a former prime minister, and Marta Kacyznski, the only child of the president and his wife, Maria, who also perished in the crash and whose body was identified on Monday.

After a short religious ceremony, the coffin was driven under military escort to the presidential palace, where it will lie in state from Tuesday.

“The people of Warsaw have lined the road heading back from the military airport into the centre of town, where the presidential palace is located”.

The remains of the other 95 victims of the crash will be sent to Moscow for identification, Russian officials said.

The tragic irony of the crash is that it occurred when the country’s president and top officials were on their way to remembering the Katyn massacre of more than 20,000 Polish nationals by Russian forces during World War Two.

Now marking its single worst tragedy since that war, Poland mourns two national catastrophes that took place on Russian soil.

Poland observed a two-minute silence on Sunday to honor the president and others who died, including General Franciszek Gagor, the chief of Poland's armed forces; central bank governor Slawomir Skrzypek; the deputy foreign minister, Andrzej Kremer; deputy defense minister Stanislaw Jerzy Komorowski and several members of parliament.

Thousands gathered at the presidential palace and nearby Pilsudski Square in central Warsaw on Sunday amid a sea of candles, wreaths and flowers as a hush descended across the East European nation.

The 60-year-old Kaczynski was a committed anti-Communist who advocated a right-wing agenda under his Catholic Law and Justice party. He favored strong ties with the United States and supported Poland hosting a US missile defense system, a move vehemently opposed by Russia.

”I want good relations with Moscow but Russia has to recognize that Poland is no longer in its sphere of influence,” he had said.