In sympathy with the Polish nation

At this difficult time of shock and grief for the Polish nation, the Socialist International expresses its deepest sympathies with the people of that country as they come to terms with the loss of their President, Lech Kaczynski, members of the government and other officials, along with members of the civil society, who perished in a tragic plane crash as they travelled to Smolensk to honour the memory of those massacred in Katyn in 1940.

Among the victims of the tragedy are members of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), an SI member party,  including Jerzy Szmajdzinski, MP, party  Vice-President and Deputy Speaker of the Polish Parliament, Jolanta Szymanek-Deresz, MP, party Vice-President in charge of Foreign Affairs, and Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, MP. Our International pays tribute to them and extends its heartfelt condolences to their family, friends and comrades.

The Socialist International is certain that the Polish people, who throughout their history have not been strangers to hardship, will find the necessary strength and wisdom to overcome this challenge and to continue on their path to consolidating their hard-earned democracy, moving forward with economic progress and prosperity. In this effort they will not be alone.