World
Polish president pulls out of Auschwitz liberation event after not being invited to speak
The event, which is due to take place in Israel on January 23, will see other world leaders speaking
January 9, 2020 09:15
The event, which is due to take place in Israel on January 23, will see other world leaders speaking
January 9, 2020 09:15Polish president Andrzej Duda will no longer attend an event in Israel to mark 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz after not being invited to speak.
The event, due to be held at Yad Vashem in Israel, will see many world leaders speak – including Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel and Prince Charles.
In an interview at the weekend Mr Duda said: “It turns out that the presidents of Russia, Germany and France – whose government collaborated with Nazi Germany at the time – will speak, but the organisers do not agree to a speech by the president of Poland.
“I absolutely do not agree to this.”
Błażej Spychalski, a spokesman for Duda, told Polish news outlets that “a situation in which the president of Poland will sit and listen to the false words of President Putin without being able to reply is unacceptable”.
The move comes amid anger in Poland over comments made by Mr Putin towards the end of December, in which he accused Poland of being complicit in the start of the Second World War.
“Essentially they colluded with Hitler,” Mr Putin said in an end-of-year speech at the defence ministry. “This is clear from documents, archival documents.”
Warsaw expressed “concern and disbelief” at the comments, criticising Mr Putin for “renewing Stalinist propaganda”.
In response to the news, Yad Vashem said in a statement that Mr Duda “never confirmed his participation” in the event. “We are pleased that over 40 leaders from Europe, North America and Australia, recognized the importance of the message of this unique and truly historic event…
“Their attendance sends a clear message to the nations of world of their commitment to this goal.”