The U.S. has imposed sanctions over the controversial legislation, while Brussels warns it will sink the country’s efforts to join the EU.

Despite weeks of widespread protests and international condemnation, Georgia is set to pass a law on Tuesday that would designate Western NGOs as “foreign agents” — likely incurring U.S. sanctions and destroying Tbilisi’s hopes of joining the EU.

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Georgian Dream insists the measures are needed to prevent influence in the country’s affairs from abroad, and has alleged that NGOs are conspiring to overthrow the government. According to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, these groups are trying to “enter politics,” and are “promoting religious extremism” and “LGBT propaganda.”

However, civil society leaders, Western politicians and much of the Georgian opposition say the bill is part of a push to silence voices critical of the government ahead of elections in October. The Council of Europe’s top constitutional affairs body last week published an assessment of the law, which it said was open to being abused by authorities to punish groups they don’t like, both financially and by stigmatizing them with the foreign agent label. The legislation, said the report, is similar to rules used by neighboring Russia to shutter NGOs and persecute activists.