Editing Riga (section)

=== 21st century ===
[[File:Ministru prezidents Valdis Dombrovskis noliek ziedus pie Brīvības pieminekļa (7141677177).jpg|thumb|Flower laying ceremony at the [[Freedom Monument]] in 2012]]
In 2004, the arrival of [[low-cost airline]]s resulted in cheaper flights from other European cities such as London and Berlin, and consequently a substantial increase in numbers of tourists.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/4633647.stm|work=BBC News|title=Latvia prepares for a tourist invasion|first=Jonathan|last=Charles|access-date=2 August 2007|date=30 June 2005|archive-date=8 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408135100/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/4633647.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 21 November 2013, the [[Zolitūde shopping centre roof collapse|roof of a supermarket collapsed]] in [[Zolitūde]], one of the neighbourhoods of the city, possibly as a result of the weight of materials used in the construction of a garden on the roof. Fifty-four people were killed. Latvian President [[Andris Bērziņš (Latvian President)|Andris Bērziņš]] described the disaster as "a large-scale murder of many defenceless people".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25069947|title=Remaining Riga mall roof caves in|work=BBC News|access-date=22 June 2018|archive-date=1 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101113813/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25069947|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:View from Latvian Academy of Sciences building.09.jpg|thumb|Modern highrises of Riga]]
Riga was the [[European Capital of Culture]] in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riga.com/|title=Riga, Latvia|work=riga.com|access-date=10 February 2016|archive-date=8 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208085353/http://riga.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> During Latvia's [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union]] in 2015, the 4th [[Eastern Partnership]] Summit took place in Riga.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/05/21-22/|title=Eastern Partnership summit, Riga, 21-22/05/2015|work=European Council|access-date=10 February 2016|archive-date=15 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215154659/http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/05/21-22/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], the [[Saeima]] voted to suspend the functioning of a section of an agreement between Latvia and Russia regarding the preservation of memorial structures on 12 May,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/saeima/saeima-decides-to-legally-allow-soviet-monument-demolition.a456417/ |title=Saeima decides to legally allow Soviet monument demolition |date=12 May 2022 |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] |accessdate=12 May 2022 |archive-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512093818/https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/saeima/saeima-decides-to-legally-allow-soviet-monument-demolition.a456417/ |url-status=live }}</ref> in the next day the [[Riga City Council]] also voted to demolish the [[Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://bnn-news.com/riga-city-council-votes-in-favour-of-demolition-of-occupation-monument-234717 |title=Riga City Council votes in favour of demolition of "Occupation monument" |date=13 May 2022 |publisher=[[Baltic News Network]] |agency=[[LETA]] |accessdate=26 August 2022 |archive-date=4 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004141539/https://bnn-news.com/riga-city-council-votes-in-favour-of-demolition-of-occupation-monument-234717 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 20 May, a rally called "Getting Rid of Soviet Heritage" took place in Riga to call for removing Soviet monuments in Latvia, it was attended by approximately 5,000 people.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/thousands-turn-out-to-support-removal-of-soviet-relics.a457795/ |title=Thousands turn out to support removal of Soviet relics |date=20 May 2022 |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] |agency=[[LETA]] |access-date=9 April 2023 |archive-date=6 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006221037/https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/thousands-turn-out-to-support-removal-of-soviet-relics.a457795/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The demolition began 22 August 2022 and on 25 August 2022, the obelisk was toppled.<ref name="Demolition">{{cite news |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/environment/demolition-of-soviet-victory-monument-in-riga.a470869 |title=Demolition of Soviet Victory monument in Rīga |date=25 August 2022 |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] |accessdate=25 August 2022 |archive-date=25 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825163700/https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/environment/demolition-of-soviet-victory-monument-in-riga.a470869/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Demolition (2)">{{cite news |url=https://bnn-news.com/video-79-m-tall-obelisk-of-soviet-victory-monument-toppled-in-pardaugava-237651 |title=79 m tall obelisk of Soviet Victory Monument toppled in Pārdaugava |date=26 August 2022 |publisher=[[Baltic News Network]] |accessdate=26 August 2022 |archive-date=26 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826074105/https://bnn-news.com/video-79-m-tall-obelisk-of-soviet-victory-monument-toppled-in-pardaugava-237651 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Demolition (3)">{{cite news |url=https://www.baltictimes.com/largest_soviet_monument_in_baltics_dismantled_in_riga/ |title=Largest Soviet monument in Baltics dismantled in Riga |date=26 August 2022 |newspaper=[[The Baltic Times]] |accessdate=26 August 2022 |archive-date=27 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827233708/https://www.baltictimes.com/largest_soviet_monument_in_baltics_dismantled_in_riga/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2022, after the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], the street on which the Embassy of the Russian Federation is located was renamed "Independent Ukraine Street".<ref>{{Cite news |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=2022-03-10 |title=Lithuania names road leading to Russian embassy 'Ukrainian Heroes' Street' |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/10/lithuania-names-road-leading-to-russian-embassy-ukrainian-heroes-street |access-date=2023-04-15 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=10 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710185212/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/10/lithuania-names-road-leading-to-russian-embassy-ukrainian-heroes-street |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Embassy of Russia · Antonijas iela 2, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1010, Latvia |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Embassy+of+Russia/@56.9571165,24.1072606,17z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x46eecfc54442965f:0x50bbd3520f77aab!8m2!3d56.9566441!4d24.1084703!16s/g/11f0wp_dpj?hl=en |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=Embassy of Russia · Antonijas iela 2, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1010, Latvia |language=en |archive-date=15 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415050756/https://www.google.com/maps/place/Embassy+of+Russia/@56.9571165,24.1072606,17z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x46eecfc54442965f:0x50bbd3520f77aab!8m2!3d56.9566441!4d24.1084703!16s/g/11f0wp_dpj?hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref>

Despite legal changes, problems have arisen in the city in relation to large construction and reconstruction projects with developers increasingly looking for opportunities to use underground spaces. While this opens up the possibility for new archaeological research to be undertaken, it is decreasing in situ archaeological preservation.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Zirne|first1=S|last2=Lūsēna|first2=E|title=Archaeological Heritage in the Historic Centre of Riga: Status, Management, Development|journal=Internet Archaeology|date=2025|issue=70|doi=10.11141/ia.70.4|doi-access=free|url=https://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue70/4/index.html}}</ref>