As many as 87 percent of Poles are of the opinion that last April’s air disaster in western Russia which killed President Kaczynski and 95 others has become, first and foremost, a tool in domestic and foreign politics.

The survey was carried out shortly before the first anniversary of the tragedy, which occurred on 10 April 2010.

According to a survey by the CBOS Institute, society is almost equally divided among those who intend to commemorate this anniversary in some way and those who do not feel any need to do so.

However, fifty six percent of Poles admit that a full explanation of the causes of the air crash is an issue of the highest significance and therefore the debate on the death of the Polish president should not surprise anyone.

Only 13 percent of the respondents claim that the causes of the tragedy have already been explained.

The Smolensk air disaster has been a divisive issue not just in relations between Poland and Russia but also between the government and opposition party Law and Justice, which is lead by the dead president‘s twin brother Jaroslaw Kaczynski. (mk/pg)