Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the government determined 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 appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen said.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the decision was no reason to have fun because "there is warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our fundamental thinking that we will always search peaceable solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that may before everything search diplomatic options to each conflict," he said throughout 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 leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would change into the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a threat solely during the application course of however rather a new and permanent condition of our international and safety policy," he mentioned.

Early on Tuesday, the foreign affairs committee determined to hitch the state management in proposing to parliament that the Nordic country ought to apply for membership.

"Having heard a very massive variety of experts and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland should 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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