"The Georgian government’s decision to adopt a law allegedly on ‘foreign agents’ is a step in the wrong direction and takes Georgia further away from European and Euro-Atlantic integration," wrote the spokesperson for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Farah Dakhlallah, on the social network X (formerly Twitter). The spokesperson added that NATO "urges Georgia to change course and respect the right to peaceful assembly." The new law requires media outlets, non-governmental organizations and other non-profit entities to register as advocates for "the interests of a foreign power" if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad. The text is almost identical to one that the ruling Georgian Dream party was forced to withdraw last year, after similar protests to those seen in Tbilisi in recent days. This version was passed on its third and final reading in parliament. The ruling party says the law is needed to counter what it sees as harmful foreign influence in Georgian politics and to prevent unidentified external actors from trying to destabilize the country. However, the opposition and thousands of protesters who have taken to the streets of the capital say it is a "Russian law," alleging that Moscow uses similar legislation to stigmatize independent media and organizations critical of the Kremlin. The law now goes to Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-Western figure who has increasingly been at odds with the ruling party and who has promised to veto it, although Georgian Dream has a large enough majority to override her. Following the vote, and amid continuing protests in Tbilisi, the Georgian opposition has called for international sanctions against the lawmakers who voted for the controversial legislation. "We demand that the international community impose sanctions on the 84 MPs who voted for this law," Levan Bezhashvili, an MP and chairman of the political council of the United National Movement, the country's largest opposition group, told reporters. According to the politician, by passing this law the ruling Georgian Dream party "has practically handed Georgia over to Russia, has established a Russian regime in the country and has declared war on its own people." Read Also: Intimidation in Georgia "is unacceptable". EU wants end of controversial law (Portuguese version)