Quick demolishing of the Soviet monument in Pārdaugava would require a special law that would allow circumventing certain requirements of construction regulations, said Riga’s vice-mayor Edvards Smiltēns in an interview to TV3 programme 900 seconds.
Smiltēns admits that today’s decision by the Saeima regarding law amendments intended to remove legal obstacles on the way to demolishing the Soviet monument will give the municipality the opportunity to progress towards demolishing the monument in Victory park.
The politician believes, however, that a quick demolishing of the monument will require a separate law to help the capital city circumvent construction and procurement laws, because otherwise the process would take months following official procedures.
The cost of demolishing the monument are estimated relatively small – depending on the method employed, they may reach EUR 40 000 to EUR 100 000, as reported by Smiltēns.
The politician once again stressed the monument must be demolished quickly. He admitted the monument must be demolished not only physically but also in people’s minds. This is why Smiltēns proposed that political parties seeking Russian-speaking voters should take the initiative in this and abandon ambivalence, when some leaders say 9 May celebration is unacceptable and others go to the monument.
As for conflict situations, like the one observed at the monument on 10 May, Smiltēns said only the tractor was a mistake by the municipality, but generally the action plan was coordinated with the police and provided for a fast removal of flowers. The municipal administration will look if there were any mistakes made.
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It should be added that on Wednesday, 11 May, Latvian Herald published the decision of Latvian State Police on locking down the memorial dedicated to Riga City Soviet Latvia and Riga liberators from the German fascist invaders and its surrounding territory.
According to this decision, by 31 August Latvian State Police is to shut down residents’ access to the memorial complex and its surrounding territory from Bāriņu Street to Victory Boulevard in Riga. Vehicles are also not allowed to park on Bāriņu Street, from Victory Boulevard until Hermaņa Street and from Bāriņ Street to Ojāra Vācieša Street.
The decision is effective immediately.