BRUSSELS, May 15. /TASS/. The European Union has called on Georgia to withdraw the law on foreign agents, noting that it negatively affects its ambitions to join the European Union, the statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and the European Commission (EC) reads.

"The adoption of this law negatively impacts Georgia's progress on the EU path. <...> We urge the Georgian authorities to withdraw the law, uphold their commitment to the EU path and advance the necessary reforms," the document says.

At the same time, the statement reads that the EU stands ready to support Georgians "working towards a European future."

The Georgian legislature passed a bill on foreign agents in the third reading on May 14. It started considering the bill in April. Since then, people have been taking to the streets in protest. Several times the rallies escalated into clashes with the police, who used pepper gas and water cannons to disperse protesters.

The bill has been criticized by the US, the UN, the EU, NATO, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe. Leaders of Georgia's ruling party argue that it only serves to ensure transparency of foreign funding to non-governmental organizations and media outlets. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said she would veto the bill.