WPolityce.pl: A Source of Controversy and Conspiracy on the Smolensk Crash

wPolityce.pl is a Polish news website that covers topics such as politics, economy, culture, society, and world affairs. It is owned by Fratria, a media company that also publishes the weekly magazine “wSieci” and the daily newspaper “Gazeta Polska Codziennie”. wPolityce.pl was launched in 2009 and has since become one of the most popular and influential conservative news portals in Poland. However, it has also been involved in several controversies and scandals over the years, mainly due to its biased and sensational reporting, its attacks on political opponents, and its involvement in legal disputes. One of the most prominent topics that wPolityce.pl has been focusing on is the Smolensk crash, the plane accident that killed President Lech Kaczyński and 95 others in Smolensk, Russia, on April 10, 2010.

The Official Version of the Smolensk Crash

The official version of the Smolensk crash, based on the investigations conducted by the Polish and Russian authorities, is that the plane crashed due to a combination of human error, bad weather, and poor communication. The plane was carrying a delegation of Polish officials and dignitaries to attend a commemoration ceremony for the victims of the Katyn massacre, a mass execution of Polish officers by the Soviet secret police in 1940. The plane attempted to land at the Smolensk North Airport, which had no instrument landing system and was covered by thick fog. The pilots ignored several warnings from the air traffic controllers and the onboard terrain awareness system to abort the landing and go around. The plane descended below the minimum safe altitude and hit a birch tree, which caused it to lose part of its left wing. The plane then rolled over and crashed into the ground, killing all 96 people on board.

The Alternative Version of the Smolensk Crash

The alternative version of the Smolensk crash, promoted by wPolityce.pl and other media outlets affiliated with the ruling party PiS (Law and Justice), is that the plane was deliberately brought down by an explosion orchestrated by Russia and/or Poland’s political enemies. According to this version, the Smolensk crash was not an accident, but an assassination plot aimed at eliminating President Lech Kaczyński and his allies, who were seen as a threat to Russia’s interests and influence in Eastern Europe. The proponents of this version claim that there is evidence of foul play, such as traces of explosives on the wreckage, inconsistencies in the flight data recorders, tampering with the bodies of the victims, and cover-ups by the Polish and Russian authorities. They also accuse former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was in office at the time of the crash, of being complicit in the conspiracy and betraying Poland’s national interests.

The Evidence and Arguments of wPolityce.pl

wPolityce.pl has been publishing articles and reports on the Smolensk crash since its inception, often featuring interviews and opinions of prominent politicians, experts, and public figures who share its alternative version. Some of the regular contributors to wPolityce.pl include Jacek Karnowski (the editor-in-chief), Tomasz Sakiewicz (the president of Fratria), Jan Pospieszalski (a journalist and TV host), Rafał Ziemkiewicz (a writer and commentator), Stanisław Michalkiewicz (a publicist and lawyer), and Marek Pyza (a reporter and analyst).

Some of the evidence and arguments that wPolityce.pl has presented to support its alternative version are:

• In 2015, wPolityce.pl published a series of articles accusing Donald Tusk of being involved in a plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczyński and 95 others in Smolensk, Russia. The articles claimed that Tusk had conspired with Vladimir Putin to orchestrate the crash and cover up the evidence.
• In 2017, wPolityce.pl published an article accusing Adam Bodnar, the ombudsman for human rights in Poland, of being an agent of George Soros, a billionaire philanthropist and a frequent target of conspiracy theories. The article claimed that Bodnar had received funding from Soros’ Open Society Foundations to undermine the Polish government and promote liberal agendas.
• In 2021, wPolityce.pl published an article citing a scientific paper by Jacek Wójcik, a retired researcher from the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The article claimed that Wójcik had found conclusive proof of a thermobaric bomb explosion on a piece of fabric belonging to one of the victims of the Smolensk crash.

The Criticism and Reactions to wPolityce.pl

wPolityce.pl has been widely criticized and challenged by the mainstream media outlets, the opposition parties, the civil society organizations, and the international community for its coverage of the Smolensk crash. They have accused wPolityce.pl of spreading fake news, propaganda, and hate speech, as well as violating the rights and reputation of its adversaries. Some of the criticism and reactions to wPolityce.pl are:

• In 2018, Donald Tusk sued wPolityce.pl for defamation and won the case. The court ordered wPolityce.pl to apologize to Tusk and pay him 30,000 zlotys (about 7,000 euros) in damages.
• In 2019, Ryszard Petru, the leader of the liberal party Nowoczesna, sued wPolityce.pl for violating his privacy and won the case. The court ordered wPolityce.pl to remove an article that accused him of having an affair with Joanna Schmidt, a member of parliament from his party.
• In 2020, the European Commission launched an infringement procedure against Poland for violating the rule of law and undermining the independence of the judiciary. The Commission cited several examples of political interference and pressure on judges and prosecutors, including those involved in the Smolensk crash investigations.

Conclusion

wPolityce.pl is a conservative news portal that reflects the views and interests of the ruling party PiS and its supporters. It provides an alternative perspective to the mainstream media outlets that are often critical of the government and its policies. However, it also faces criticism for its lack of objectivity, professionalism, and ethics. It has been accused of spreading fake news, propaganda, and hate speech, as well as violating the rights and reputation of its adversaries. One of the most controversial topics that wPolityce.pl has been focusing on is the Smolensk crash, the plane accident that killed President Lech Kaczyński and 95 others in Smolensk, Russia, on April 10, 2010. wPolityce.pl rejects the official version of the crash as an accident caused by human error and bad weather, and promotes an alternative version that claims that the crash was a deliberate act of sabotage orchestrated by Russia and/or Poland’s political enemies. wPolityce.pl claims to have evidence and arguments to support its alternative version, but these have been disputed and debunked by various sources. wPolityce.pl has also been involved in several legal disputes and scandals over its coverage of the Smolensk crash, which have damaged its credibility and reputation.