Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly permitted 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 decided officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership however the choice was pending parliament's approval.

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

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the decision was no motive to rejoice as a result of "there's warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our fundamental considering that we'll at all times search peaceable solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that will before everything seek diplomatic solutions to each battle," he mentioned in the course of the debate.

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

"Our border would turn out to be the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a threat solely in the course of the software process but relatively a brand new and permanent situation of our foreign and security coverage," he stated.

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

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

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

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