Iceland Volcano Threatens to Delay Poland President's Funeral

The coffins of 34 victims of the Smolensk plane crash arrive at the Military Airport in Warsaw. Photo by BGNES

The huge ash cloud triggered by the eruption of a volcano in Iceland and passing over Northern Europe can postpone the funeral of Poland’s President, Lech Kaczynski and First Lady, Maria Kaczynska,

The information was reported by the Polish Presidential Office Friday.

Kaczynski, his wife Maria and 94 others, including many top defense officials and public figures, died last Saturday when their TU-154 government aircraft crashed en route to a war memorial service in Russia to commemorate the Polish victims of the 1940 Katyn massacre.

The funeral services were going to be attended by Bulgaria’s President, Georgi Parvanov and Foreign Minister, Nikolay Mladenov. The Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, and the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fog Rasmussen, are among the confirmed guests.

It is still unclear if the US President, Barack Obama, will travel to Poland for the funeral. The White House informs that despite many cancellations of Europe-bound flights, Obama’s trip is still on, and Air Force 1 pilots have reassured they can accomplish a flight across the Atlantic, but the authorities also say they are monitoring the situation closely.

Kaczynski’s funeral is to take place in Krakow's Wawel Cathedral and the bodies were to be sent to Krakow by plane after the end of the Warsaw viewing.

The Warsaw airport is closed, the Krakow one is still open.

The presidential office spokesperson told the Polish radio the funeral might be postponed if dignitaries are stopped from attending over the flight problems. He later clarified that such case scenario had not yet been discussed and would be an extreme measure, adding the decision will be made later during the day, after a meeting with Prime Minister, Donald Tusk.

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