Poland's acting president reassures nation in mourning

Poland's interim president, Bronislaw Komorowski, reassured his countrymen Monday that the government continues to function despite the airplane crashthat killed President Lech Kaczynski and a number of senior officials, stunning Warsaw's political elite and plunging the nation into a remarkable display of national mourning.

Komorowski said many empty government and military posts had already been filled provisionally by assistants, permitting government to continue functioning. He said he would consult with parliament members of all parties beginning Tuesday on naming a swift replacement for Slawomir Skrzypek, head of the National Bank of Poland.

The Warsaw stock market, which reopened for trading, seemed unaffected by the tragedy and closed with little change. This was taken as a sign that Poland's key economic actors have confidence in the political system's ability to absorb the shock.

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