Campaign managers of the various candidates standing in the June presidential elections have praised a rise in civic responsibility in Poland, one month after the Smolensk air disaster.

Head of Bronisław Komorowski’s electoral campaign, Sławomir Nowak commended the Polish nation on its gestures of empathy, solidarity and compassion in the wake of the tragedy which took 96 lives on April 10, including that of President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria.

"I hope, however, that emotional statements surfacing right now from across the political divide will continue to be toned down,” he told Polish Radio.

Elżbieta Jakubiak, at Jarosław Kaczyński’s campaign HQ says that the high number of signatures presidential candidates have collected to take part in the election scheduled for June 20 proves that the period of national mourning has produced an increase in civic sentiment in Poland.

"All the successful candidates say that it was easy to collect the necessary signatures. This attests to the citizens' sense of responsibility towards the state,” she said.

Masses are held in Warsaw today to commemorate the victims of the crash. (ab)