Poland's Defence Ministry Alerts Prosecutors to Alleged Offenses in 2010 Plane Crash Investigation

Poland's Defence Ministry has informed prosecutors about alleged misconduct by members of a special commission. This commission investigated the 2010 plane crash in Russia, which resulted in the death of Poland's then-president and 95 others. The commissioners claimed the crash was an assassination orchestrated by Moscow.

The allegations involve 41 potential offenses identified during a recent expert review of the commission's work. This commission, established by a previous right-wing government in 2016, worsened Poland's already tense relations with Russia. The review indicated that the commission members lacked proper qualifications for aviation accident investigations and manipulated data to support their theory of an intentional explosion on board.

Commission's Political Motivations

The commission was linked to the Defence Ministry and was seen as politically driven, aiming to strengthen support for the conservative ruling party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Kaczynski is the twin brother of President Lech Kaczynski, who died in the crash. The review highlighted that the commission's work cost the state approximately 81 million zlotys (USD 20 million) and was marked by unprofessionalism, including a lack of transparency and reliability.

The review accused Antoni Macierewicz, a former defence minister and head of the commission, along with his successor Mariusz Blaszczak, of legal breaches and abuse of power. Most allegations against them have been forwarded to prosecutors. Current deputy defence minister Cezary Tomczyk stated that Macierewicz had "cynically ... cheated Polish society for many years" and should face consequences, potentially up to 10 years in prison.

Political Reactions

Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticised Macierewicz as an "instigator and a notorious liar," claiming he acted on Kaczynski's orders to create political divisions in Poland. The national prosecutor's office confirmed that notices were being registered but did not provide further details on subsequent actions.

Separate investigations conducted by professional aviation commissions in both Poland and Russia concluded that the April 2010 crash at a basic airport near Smolensk was due to human error during landing in heavy fog.