Polish politicians to hold Euro 2012 ‘truce’?

Jaroslaw Kaczynski with National Stadium in background: photo - PAP/Andrzej Hrechorowicz

“We want it to be a peaceful time,” Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) party told a press conference on Tuesday.

“Law and Justice, without any preconditions, will stick to this. We expect that our partners will also adhere to this rule,” Kaczynski said.

Kaczynski, a former prime minister, said that his party will not be organizing any street demonstrations during the tournament, which begins on 8 June, as Law and Justice has done this this year against the government’s plan to raise the retirement age to 67 for both men and women, and a host of other issues.

There will be one exception, however, Kaczynski added, on 10 June, when Law and Justice and supporters commemorate the 10 April 2010 Smolensk air disaster which killed 96 people in western Russia including President Lech Kaczynski, Jaroslaw’s twin brother.

“We will march in procession [to] the Presidential Palace. But this will not be a political event and I hope that everybody understands that,” Kaczynski said.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who leads the governing centre-right Civic Platform, has in turn offered Jaroslaw Kaczynski tickets for Euro 2012 and invited the Law and Justice leader to a special lunch to be attended by previous Polish prime ministers.

“ I am happy to invite [Jaroslaw] Kaczynski and all my predecessors for such a meeting, perhaps on 4 June,” Tusk said Wednesday morning. (pg)

source: IAR/PAP