People attend an unveiling ceremony of a monument commemorating the late Polish President Lech Kaczinski and the Smolensk tragedy in Budapest, Hungary, on April 6, 2018. Polish leaders along with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban took part in an unveiling ceremony here Friday of a monument commemorating the late Polish President Lech Kaczinski and the Smolensk tragedy in which he died. In 2010, a military plane travelling from Warsaw carrying the late president and other Polish officials crashed in Smolensk, Russia killing 96 Polish people. (Xinhua/Attila Volgyi)
BUDAPEST, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Polish leaders along with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban took part in an unveiling ceremony here Friday of a monument commemorating the late Polish President Lech Kaczinski and the Smolensk tragedy in which he died.
In 2010, a military plane travelling from Warsaw carrying the late president and other Polish officials crashed in Smolensk, Russia killing 96 Polish people.
The Polish air force was bringing a delegation to a commemoration of Polish victims of the Katyn executions.
The twin brother of Lech Kaczinski, Jaroslaw, was at the unveiling ceremony. He is the leader of the ruling Polish Law and Justice party and Orban's close ally.
"Friendship between people cannot exist without common remembrance, and in such times, I think of the future of our people, which is closely linked to Viktor Orban and the Fidesz (Orban's party)," Kaczinski said at the ceremony.
He gave his support to Orban ahead of this Sunday's elections.
"At Sunday's elections, you decide not only about Hungary, but also about the freedom of the whole world, I wish that this decision might lead to the freedom of Europe, Poland and Hungary," he added, highlighting that the monument of Lech Kaczinski reinforced the friendship between the two countries.
Orban said he wanted a Central Europe that did not allow itself to be intimidated, or taught a lesson, and where the nations could naturally decide for themselves who they wanted to allow entering their territory.
"When they attack Poland, they attack Central Europe and they attack us as well," he explained. He added: "When we stand by Poland, we do this for the Hungarian-Polish friendship and also because we stand for ourselves."
Orban referred to the recent infringement procedure launched by the European Commission against Poland regarding a reform of Poland's judiciary. Sanctions connected to the infringement procedure require a unanimous decision of all of European Union (EU) member states. However, Orban has vowed on several occasions to veto any sanctions made against Poland.
Orban referred to the migrant relocation scheme of the European Union (EU), strongly rejected by both the Hungarian and the Polish governments.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also took part in the event, referring to the monument as a "bridge to understanding Polish history."
The event falls on the last days of the Hungarian electoral campaign that positions Orban as the absolute favorite candidate.
