Prime Minister Donald Tusk has spoken of the possibility of reaching agreement with families of victims of the 2008 crash of a CASA military plane, in which twenty people died.

Families of passengers killed in the accident near Miroslawiec, north-western Poland, are to appeal to the Ministry of National Defence for compensation reaching 250,000 zloty (over 64,000 euro).

The amount is equivalent to the damages offered by government to families of 96 killed in the TU-154 presidential plane crash in Smolensk of April 2010, among them the head of state, Lech Kaczynski.

Sylwester Nowakowski, a lawyer representing the families of soldiers killed in the CASA plane crash, has said that the two cases equal in legal terms, as both planes belonged to the Ministry of National Defence. The interpretation of law should not lead to discrimination, while granting such damages would bring the case to a dignified ending, claimed the lawyer.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defence has stressed that the articles on non-financial damage stipulated in the civil code, which may be applied to the Smolensk crash, were introduced months after the accident in Miroslawiec, which is why these regulations are not relevant in the case of the latter.

The Ministry claims, however, that it is ready to take up talks on a legal settlement with the families of the plane crash in Miroslawiec, though in line with the binding regulations.

The tragic accident of the CASA military plane occurred on 23 January 2008, as the aircraft, bound for the 12th Air Base in Miroslawiec, crashed while attempting to land, killing all 20 passengers on board, including senior air force officials. (aba/jb)

Source: IAR