Message of condolences by President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen following the death of the President of Poland

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Press Release 10 April 2010

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen has with great sadness received the news of the death of President of the Republic of Poland Lech Kaczynski and his spouse in a plane crash in Smolensk in Russia.

President Halonen extends her deep condolences on behalf of the people of Finland and on her own behalf to the families of the victims and the people of Poland who lost in the accident not only their Head of State and his close ones but also many political leaders and high officials.

President Halonen had got to know President Kaczynski personally through many bilateral and international meetings. President Lech Kaczynski of Poland and and Mrs Maria Kaczynska made a state visit to Finland two years ago in April 2008.

President Halonen has also expressed her condolences to the Polish Ambassador in Finland.