Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the government decided formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the decision 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 choice was no motive to celebrate as a result of "there may be struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our basic pondering that we will all the time search peaceful solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that can before everything search diplomatic solutions to each conflict," he stated through the debate.

Opponents to the appliance 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 turn out to be the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a risk only throughout the application course of but rather a brand new and permanent situation of our overseas and safety policy," he mentioned.

Early on Tuesday, the overseas affairs committee determined to join the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic country ought to apply for membership.

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

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

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