Statue of late president installed in Warsaw for centennial

A monument to the late President Lech Kaczynski has been installed in a central Warsaw square ahead of its unveiling as part of celebrations marking Poland’s 100 years of independence. Kaczynski, who was killed in a 2010 plane crash in Russia, was the twin brother of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of the current ruling party, Law and Justice. Plans for the statue have been a point of political contention, with the city authorities — in the hands of the political opposition — opposed to the statue, and the provincial authorities in favor. The bronze statue will be unveiled Saturday evening ahead of centennial commemorations on Sunday. Poland regained its independence at the end of World War I after more than a century of rule by foreign powers.