MOSCOW, October 10. /TASS/. The preliminary results of parliamentary polls in Georgia showing that the ruling Georgian Dream party is winning give a good impetus to restoring relations with Moscow, Russian lawmaker Leonid Kalashnikov told TASS on Monday.
"No doubt, the outcome of elections gives a good impetus for repairing the Russian-Georgian relations," said Kalashnikov, who heads the State Duma’s committee for Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) affairs, Eurasian integration and ties with compatriots.
The lawmaker called for improving bilateral relations both in the parliamentary and diplomatic sphere. The committee’s next meeting will be devoted to the outcome of the polls, he said, adding that this should be viewed as "giving a hand to parliamentary cooperation."
The priority for the committee is assistance to restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries and lifting visa requirements, he said. "This is not Russia that took a decision on halting diplomatic relations and they cannot be restored in a unilateral way. But we will contribute to this as well as the full elimination of visa regime."
The Georgian Dream party won 48.6% of votes at the parliamentary elections with 99.92% of ballots counted, Georgia’s Central Election Commission said. The United National Movement secured 27.14% of votes.