Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the brother of the late president Lech and himself currently a presidential hopeful, has started off his campaign run with a video message… to the Russians.

The video was released at a press conference which was not attended by Jaroslaw Kaczynski himself, however. The release of the video coincided with the VE parades in Moscow, where Jaroslaw Kaczynski's brother, Lech, was due to attend.

“The reaction of feelings and sympathy of millions of Russians has been acknowledged and felt by Poles. Thank you for every tear shed, every candle lit, for every word of comfort,” Kaczynski says in the video address.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s speech also turned towards the role of history, and that both Poland and Russia should reconcile their differences by acknowledging the truth, as “only truth may help in building the new,” he states in the video.

“There are moments in history which manage to change everything, even the course of history,” Jaroslaw Kaczysnki continued, relating to the tragic events on 10 April in which his brother died near Smolensk.

“I hope, as well as millions of Poles, including those, who supported Lech Kaczynski, that this moment is upon us, and that a great change will take place, for us, our children, and our grandchildren,” underlined the Law and Justice presidential candidate.

Even though the message was advertised as being a personal address to the Russians, it is a component of Mr. Kaczysnki’s presidential campaign. Law and Justice (PiS) deputy Elzbieta Jakubiak told journalists that “we are in the midst of a campaign, that’s why the [video] bears the [party’s] logo.”

Questions were also raised as to whether Jaroslaw Kaczynski will continue in the footsteps of his brother, who was expected to stand in the presidential elections this year. The Kaczynski twins were known to have similar views on how Poland should be run.

Pawel Poncyliusz, head of the Law and Justice presidential campaign, said “Jaroslaw Kaczynski must have his own programme, his own ideas for Poland […] Today we must concentrate on the future of Poland.” (jb)

Sources: PAP/tvn24.pl

See J. Kaczynski’s video (Polish) with Russian subtitles