RIGA, May 13 (LETA) - The Riga City Council at an extraordinary meeting on Friday ruled in favor of dismantling of the Soviet-era monument in Pardaugava, Riga.

The councilors decided to task Riga Municipal Monument Agency with all the necessary steps necessary to dismantle the "Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders".

Also, the Riga City Council decided that the Riga City Council city development department, the property department and the Riga Municipal Police should provide the agency with all necessary support in this matter.

The decision was made with 39 votes to 13. One lawmaker did not vote and seven were not present in the meeting.

As reported, Saeima on Thursday passed in the final reading amendments to the agreements the Republic of Latvia and the Russian Federation signed in Moscow on April 30, 1994, drafted by the Foreign Ministry to remove legal obstacles to dismantling the monument to Soviet soldiers in Riga's Pardaugava.

The monument has been a subject of controversy for a long time already, and now has been raised again in relation to Russia's war in Ukraine.

The monument was built in the time period between 1979 and 1985 to commemorate the Soviet Army's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, but now it is seen as dedication to the aggressor country - Russia.

In 1997, members of ultra-nationalist organization Perkonkrusts tried to blow up the monument, two of them died during explosion.