photo - East NewsThe body of the late president Lech Kaczynski will be laid to rest in the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, spokesman Jacek Sasin has said.
Arrangements for a state funeral are being planned for the end of the week, although no decision has yet been taken officially. The Polish constitution is unclear as to the arrangements for a joint funeral where both the president and first lady are killed.
A state ceremony to mark the death of the 96 people who died in the plane crash in Smolensk at the weekend will be held on Saturday at Pilsudski square in Warsaw, however.
On the third day of national mourning - which is to last a week - a book of condolences is open for mourners to sign at the Presidential Palace and many other places throughout the country.
At schools, a minute’s silence will be held before lessons.
Problem of identification
Funerals will be delayed as only 14 victims of the crash on Saturday in Smolensk have been officially identified, said Health Minister Ewa Kopacz. The remains of some of Poland’s most prominent politicians, military top brass and families of the victims of the 1940 Katyn massacre - who were travelling to western Russia to take part on the 70 the anniversary ceremony - will be taken to a forensic lab in Moscow for identification. DNA evidence is being sent from Warsaw to the Russian capital today to help aid the process.
“In many cases, material has to be collected so genetic testing can help determine identity,” Minister Kopacz told reporters.
The process will last between three and four days, she said. (pg)