Lu Shaojie: The crash of Polish president's jetliner affects the entire nation

by enquivmu on 2010-04-11 18:00:28

Lu Shaojie: A Tragedy Within a Tragedy - The Crash of the Polish Presidential Jet, reported by China Radio International on April 10th. On April 10th, the plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski crashed in Russia. Unfortunately, all passengers including the President and his wife perished. Lu Shaojie expressed that this unfortunate event is not only a national tragedy for Poland but also a "tragedy within a tragedy." He emphasized that this air disaster should be regarded as an isolated incident, and no speculations should be made before the truth is uncovered. Below is the interview transcript:

Q: President Kaczynski was en route to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre when the accident occurred. What impact will this have on Polish-Russian relations and its surroundings?

Lu Shaojie: This tragedy is an isolated event. Moreover, prior to this incident, the relationship between Poland and Russia had been improving. This plane crash will not affect diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Q: It's extremely rare for a presidential jet to crash. What was your first reaction upon hearing this news?

Lu Shaojie: I was shocked by the news. It is very uncommon for a presidential jet to crash, let alone both the president and his wife perishing. Additionally, there were numerous high-ranking officials aboard the plane, including the former president of the exile government, several ministers, and 20 members of parliament. Such a loss of political elites at once undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to the Polish people psychologically. This is a national tragedy for Poland, and since President Kaczynski was heading to the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre, with victims' descendants also onboard, their tragic demise far from home constitutes another layer of tragedy. Hence, it can be called a "tragedy within a tragedy."

Q: Given the poor safety record and many countries having phased out this model, why did the Polish President continue to choose this aircraft for travel?

Lu Shaojie: The presidential jet had already ceased production in 2006, and the one used by Poland was relatively old. This has much to do with Poland’s public finance situation, where government spending is restricted, especially regarding official expenses. In previous years, former Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller was injured in an accident while aboard a dedicated jet, which led to discussions about replacing the aircraft. However, the decision not to replace it might have been due to cost-cutting measures and a need to appear closer to the people. Other reasons are difficult to speculate on without further information.

Q: Reports indicate that besides the President and his wife, there was also a government delegation of 85 officials, including military leaders and the central bank governor. Will the Polish government be paralyzed as a result?

Lu Shaojie: The Polish government will definitely not be paralyzed because Poland is a modern government. There are comprehensive constitutional arrangements in place for the sudden departure of leaders. Currently, the Speaker of the Parliament has taken over the President's duties. This accident is a political loss, but it is unlikely to cause domestic unrest. The internal and foreign policies of the Polish government are clear, and the passing of the leaders is unlikely to alter these policies.

Q: After the accident, conspiracy theories began to flourish. What are your thoughts on this?

Lu Shaojie: Before the investigation concludes and the truth comes to light, we should avoid making speculations. Based on my personal judgment, this was an accident due to the very low visibility at the airport at the time.