Czech delegation takes part in funeral of Polish president

Czech President Václav Klaus, Prime Minister Jan Fischer and archbishop of Prague, Dominik Duka, attended the funeral of the late Polish president Lech Kaczynski on Sunday. They left the Czech capital early on Sunday by train for the border town of Bohumín, where they continued by car to Krakow. Flights were disrupted because of the cloud of volcanic ash. The conservative Polish president and his wife, Maria, were buried on Sunday afternoon in a crypt at the Wawel castle, the traditional resting place of Polish heroes and royalty.

The presidential pair and 94 others were killed when their government plane crashed in western Russia just over a week ago. Many world leaders were forced to stay away from the funeral because flights were grounded. President Klaus said it was unforgivable that some European and EU leaders had not attended.

Author: Chris Johnstone