Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the federal government determined officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the determination was pending parliament's approval.

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

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the decision was no reason to celebrate because "there is battle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our basic considering that we'll always seek peaceable solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that can at first search diplomatic options to each conflict," he stated during the debate.

Opponents to the applying included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, 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 turn into the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a threat solely during the utility course of however fairly a new and permanent condition of our international and safety policy," he mentioned.

Early on Tuesday, the international affairs committee decided to join the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic country should apply for membership.

"Having heard a really massive variety of consultants and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This resolution is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho told reporters.

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

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