The foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia said on Wednesday that a bill on “foreign agents” being deliberated in Georgia raises “serious questions” about the country’s democratic prospects.

“We call on the Parliament of Georgia to responsibly assess the real interests of the country and refrain from decisions that may undermine aspirations of Georgia’s people to live in a democratic country which is advancing towards the EU and NATO,” the joint statement reads.

The bill sparked protests in the country, during which police used tear gas and water cannons.

In response to these events, the Baltic ministers also called on the Georgian government to respect people’s right to peaceful protests.

The country’s opposition believe the bill is similar to the existing law in Russia where media outlets and NGOs that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from foreign sources are required to register as “foreign agents”.

International organisations have expressed concern about the Georgian bill, saying that it undermines the development of democracy in Georgia.

The EU has already warned Georgia that by adopting this law it would jeopardise its chances of ever joining the bloc.