The Polish Central Election Committee has received applications from 23 candidates planning to participate in the country's presidential race, a committee spokesman told RIA Novosti on Monday.

Acting President Bronislaw Komorowski has set June 20 as the date for early presidential elections, which will determine the successor to late president Lech Kaczynski, who died in a plane crash on April 10.

Many experts believe that only the strongest applicants will be able to receive the required 100,000 signatures to be officially registered as candidates. It is widely thought that Komorowski, the late president's twin brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Deputy Premier Waldemar Pawlak and democratic leader Grzegorz Napieralski can get the needed signatures by the May 6 deadline.

However, only Komorowski and Kaczynski, who has pledged to continue the policies of the deceased president, have any real chances for the post, experts say.

WARSAW, April 26 (RIA Novosti)