Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the government determined formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the choice 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 said the choice was no reason to have a good time as a result of "there is struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our basic considering that we will always seek peaceable solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that will firstly search diplomatic solutions to every conflict," he mentioned during the debate.

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

"Our border would grow to be the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a risk only during the utility course of but moderately a brand new and everlasting situation of our international and safety policy," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a very giant variety of experts and having obtained the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the overseas affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This decision is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho instructed reporters.

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

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