Czech government designates days of national mourning for Polish plane crash victims

Foreign Minister Jan Kohout has announced that both Saturday and Sunday will be days of national mourning in honor of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and other Polish officials killed in Saturday’s plane crash. Mr. Kohout said on Tuesday that Czech national flags on all official buildings will be drawn at half-mast and added that a minute of silence will be held on Saturday before noon. The government also encouraged mayors across the country to fly flags in their towns and cities at half-mast. Organizers of public, cultural and sports events should hold a minute of silence at the start of such events, Mr. Kohout said. Poland’s official mourning ceremony will be held in Warsaw on Saturday at noon. The funeral of the president and his wife will take place on Sunday in Krakow. Czech President Václav Klaus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will be in attendance, US President Barrack Obama’s attendance has not been confirmed by the White House yet.

Author: Sarah Borufka