Poland’s head of state is asking the government why there was a delay in telling him about the fatal air crash last Wednesday, which killed 20 high level military staff.
The President’s Office and the National Security Bureau (BBN) are accusing the Ministry of National Defense (MON) of informing the head of state late about the CASA plane crash tragedy.
The head of the President’s Office Robert Draba said that Lech Kaczyński had not been informed about the tragedy before he left for Croatia on a state visit.
The plane crashed at 7:07pm, at 7:35pm the Minister of Defence received the information; the President flew to Croatia at 8:15pm.
According to the head of the BBN General Roman Polko, the head of MON should have personally informed the President, disregarding any of the normal procedures.
The President’s Office is demanding an explanation of the delay.
MON explained that the department tried to contact the BBN as soon as possible and started calling at 7:40, but allegedly no one was answering their phones. The ministry managed to reach the BBN at 8pm. (mo)