The head of Russia's Federal Migration Service, Konstantin Romodanovsky, condemns the idea of a visa regime with the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The idea has been voiced recently by opposition leader and former Moscow mayoral hopeful Alexey Navalny. Navalny believes Russia should impose a visa regime on the republics of Central Asia in order to stop mass immigration to the country.
"We do not need a visa regime. That's a harsh and unnecessary measure," Romodanovsky says.
According to the official, a visa regime would damage mutual ties in the sphere of culture and in the humanitarian sphere.
