Konstantin Zatulin, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, said that the resumption of direct flights between Russia and Georgia would not spoil the holiday season in [the separatist] Abkhazia.

According to the MP, for more sustainable competition in the field of tourism, the authorities of Abkhazia will begin to work on improving the service. "An unprecedented holiday season is expected in Abkhazia. And, of course, the opening of air links with Georgia is unlikely to hurt him much. It seems to me that this should have some long-term consequences, including in a positive way. Because in Abkhazia, they must move faster along the path of economic revival, make the necessary decisions, think about the quality of tourism services, and so on. When someone gets a monopoly, and this monopoly, of course, is dictated by today's difficult international circumstances in Russia, then this does not lead to anything good in terms of improving the level of this business, tourism does not lead. It's just that people stop thinking about how it's better for them, cheaper to accept people and ensure their rest," Zatulin added.

The parliamentarian did not rule out that Abkhazia might see Russia's steps towards rapprochement with Georgia as a threat to its political status, but there is nothing to fear. "I think that Abkhazia can be calm because the guarantee is the official recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia. And no rapprochement, opening of airspace, and similar things can affect this previously made decision," Zatulin emphasized.