Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly permitted 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 federal government determined formally 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 against the appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen said.

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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the decision was no purpose to have fun as a result of "there may be warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our fundamental pondering that we are going to all the time seek peaceable options and we're a peace-loving nation that can initially seek diplomatic options to each battle," he mentioned through the debate.

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

"Our border would turn out to be the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger only throughout the application process but relatively a new and everlasting situation of our overseas and safety coverage," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a very massive number of consultants and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This decision is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho told reporters.

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

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