One of Poland’s top bishops claims that leader of the Law and Justice party Jarolsaw Kaczynski, is using the conflict over the Smolensk cross in Warsaw as a tool to boost flagging opinion poll ratings.

“It’s disgusting,” Bishop Pieronek told Polska The Times. “These are purely political actions not aimed at preserving the memory of those who died in the Smolensk air disaster but building political power of just one party,” said Pieronek.

The bishop approves of the decision to move the Smolensk cross last Thursday morning from outside the Presidential Palace to the presidential chapel, in that he hopes it will bring an end to a dispute which has been dragging on throughout most of the summer.

The Presidential Palace said last week that the cross will remain in the chapel until an appropriate time to move it to its permanent home in nearby St Anne’s church.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski has backed those who believe that the cross should stay outside the Presidential Palace as a permanent reminder of the death of 96 who died in the Smolensk air crash, including his twin brother Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria. (mg/pg)