Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal to use for membership of the NATO military alliance in a historic coverage shift prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Sauli Niinisto and the federal government decided officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership however the resolution was pending parliament's approval.

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight in opposition to the applying, Speaker Matti Vanhanen mentioned.

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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the decision was no motive to have a good time because "there is warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our fundamental considering that we are going to always search peaceful solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that can before everything seek diplomatic solutions to each conflict," he mentioned in the course of the debate.

Opponents to the appliance included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, part of Finland's five-party coalition, among them Markus Mustajarvi who challenged the choice with a counter proposal leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would become the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a threat solely during the application course of however reasonably a new and everlasting condition of our overseas and security coverage," he mentioned.

Early on Tuesday, the international affairs committee decided to hitch the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic nation ought to apply for membership.

"Having heard a very large number of consultants and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the overseas affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This determination is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho advised reporters.

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Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Modifying by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams

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