Denis Gonchar, the head of the fourth department for CIS countries at the Russian Foreign Ministry, indicated that Moscow could consider continuing direct flights with Georgia and easing visa requirements for Georgian citizens if the right preconditions are created. The remarks were reported by TASS.
Regarding the prospects for resuming direct air links and visa liberalization for Georgians, Gonchar suggested that decisions on this issue could be made once the necessary conditions in Tbilisi are in place, noting that the situation there is well understood.
Leonid Kalashnikov, a former Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, stated that the resumption of direct flights and the removal of the visa regime for Georgians had become a feasible possibility.
On June 21, 2019, Russia imposed a temporary ban on air travel with Georgia in response to mass protests that began the day before in Tbilisi. The decision was tied to the presence of Russian deputy Sergei Gavrilov at the opening session of the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Orthodox Initiative, which drew harsh criticism from dissidents and spurred demonstrations throughout the city.