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| Polish election row over massacre | Polish election row over massacre |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An acclaimed film director has accused the Polish government of exploiting a wartime massacre for electoral gain. | An acclaimed film director has accused the Polish government of exploiting a wartime massacre for electoral gain. |
| Ceremonies marking the 1940 Katyn massacre were brought forward several months to Friday, three weeks before parliamentary elections. | Ceremonies marking the 1940 Katyn massacre were brought forward several months to Friday, three weeks before parliamentary elections. |
| Andrzej Wajda, who has made a film about the massacre, has called for the services to be pushed back to November. | Andrzej Wajda, who has made a film about the massacre, has called for the services to be pushed back to November. |
| The government said the ceremonies were brought forward to coincide with the release of Mr Wajda's film. | The government said the ceremonies were brought forward to coincide with the release of Mr Wajda's film. |
| Up to 20,000 Polish officers - including Mr Wajda's father - were killed by Soviet troops in Katyn in 1940. | Up to 20,000 Polish officers - including Mr Wajda's father - were killed by Soviet troops in Katyn in 1940. |
| 'Horse-trading' | 'Horse-trading' |
| President Lech Kaczynski has rejected any suggestion that the government is trying to make electoral capital out of the massacre. | President Lech Kaczynski has rejected any suggestion that the government is trying to make electoral capital out of the massacre. |
| His brother, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is seeking re-election as prime minister in the October poll. | His brother, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is seeking re-election as prime minister in the October poll. |
| Mr Wajda's father died in the massacre | Mr Wajda's father died in the massacre |
| Poland's opposition believes the governing Law and Justice Party is intent on stirring nationalist sentiment for political advantage. | |
| The party has adopted a nationalist and anti-communist stance at regular intervals since coming to power in 2005. | The party has adopted a nationalist and anti-communist stance at regular intervals since coming to power in 2005. |
| Gabriela Puzdrakiewicz-Gizewska, whose father died in the massacre, wrote in a letter to the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper that she did not want "the tragic death of my father... to be made the subject of political horse-trading during an election battle". | Gabriela Puzdrakiewicz-Gizewska, whose father died in the massacre, wrote in a letter to the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper that she did not want "the tragic death of my father... to be made the subject of political horse-trading during an election battle". |
| The head of the Katyn Families Federation said he would boycott the event, at which the president is expected to give posthumous promotions to many of the dead. | The head of the Katyn Families Federation said he would boycott the event, at which the president is expected to give posthumous promotions to many of the dead. |
| "Most of us believe the ceremony cannot take place at this time," Andrzej Skapski said. | "Most of us believe the ceremony cannot take place at this time," Andrzej Skapski said. |
| Mr Wajda has called for the ceremony to be held on 11 November, Poland's independence day. | Mr Wajda has called for the ceremony to be held on 11 November, Poland's independence day. |