WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s Defense Ministry said Friday it has informed prosecutors of suspected crimes committed by members of a special commission investigating the 2010 plane crash in Russia that killed Poland’s then-president and 95 others died. Commissioners claimed the crash was a Moscow-sponsored assassination.
The reports of 41 possible violations are the result of a recent expert review of the work of the controversial commission established in 2016 by the previous right-wing government. The investigation exacerbated Poland’s already deeply strained relations with Russia.
The commission, which fell under the Defense Ministry, was widely seen as politically motivated and served to consolidate the electorate of the conservative ruling party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the twin brother of President Lech Kaczynski, who died in the crash.
The recent investigation launched by the current government found that members of the commission did not have the necessary qualifications to investigate aviation accidents. They manipulated their findings and other data to fit the theory of an intended explosion on board the plane, which they never proved.
The overview published this week said the commission’s work cost the state some 81 million zloty ($20 million) and was characterized by a lack of professionalism, including a lack of transparency and reliability. Violations of the law and abuse of power were alleged by the head of the commission, Antoni Macierewicz, a former defense minister, and by his successor at the ministry in the previous government, Mariusz Blaszczak. Most of the communications to prosecutors concern Macierewicz and Blaszczak.
Current Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said the investigation showed that Macierewicz “cynically… deceived Polish society for years” and should face the consequences. He claimed Macierewicz could face up to 10 years in prison.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk called Macierewicz an “instigator and a notorious liar” who acted on Kaczynski’s orders to stoke political division in Poland.
The national prosecutor’s office said the reports were registered on Friday, but gave no details about what happens next.
Separate investigations by professional aviation commissions in Poland and Russia concluded that the April 2010 crash at a rudimentary airfield near Smolensk was the result of human error during the landing in heavy fog.
