Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal to use for membership of the NATO military 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 decision was pending parliament's approval.

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight against the application, Speaker Matti Vanhanen mentioned.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto said the decision was no motive to celebrate because "there is war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our basic thinking that we'll at all times search peaceable solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that will in the beginning search diplomatic solutions to each battle," he mentioned 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 leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would grow to be the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk solely during the software process however quite a new and everlasting situation of our international and safety coverage," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a really giant variety of specialists and having obtained 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 instructed reporters.

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

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