While Poland grieves
The news flash that the Polish president had died in a plane crash came across the television as we were sitting in the Brasserie Marigny after the Vipers cooling our heels; the news prompted me to write my friend and colleague there and tell him that we here in New Orleans were thinking of him, at the time I thought it was only the president who died – his response:
pretty tragic for the country, especially as it wiped out an incredible amount of key people (most of the top military brass, the head of the central bank, ministers, members of the senate etc.). i can’t really recollect that any country in the world lost so many top people in one go during times of peace.
that said, nobody expects much turmoil. the president’s role is more ceremonial in poland than in the us, and he was due to lose his post in elections in a few months anyway. the head of the central bank is dead, but that shouldn’t impact the currency too much. the biggest cut is in the armed forces: they lost a lot of top people, so they have a major problem. but that shouldn’t affect poland’s economy much.
very interesting to see how russia has reacted: medvedev ordered a day of state mourning in russia on monday (i seriously didn’t expect that to happen!!!) and putin has taken personal charge of the investigation into the causes of the accident. very positive for polish-russian relations (and in consequence for eu-russian relations).
He added:
… i just checked: 6 generals died on that plane, basically the heads of the army, navy, airforce, special services as well as the chief-of-staff. that is the entire top level of poland’s armed forces. imagine the US losing all its 4-/5-star generals & admirals in one event. pretty bad.
one thing discussed is why so many important people were on one single plane at the same time. many fortune 500 companies limit the amount of key people that can fly on one plane together…