Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the government decided formally 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 against the application, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto said the choice was no reason to celebrate because "there may be warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our basic considering that we'll always seek peaceful solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that may first and foremost search diplomatic options to each conflict," he mentioned in the course of the debate.

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

"Our border would become the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a danger solely throughout the utility process however somewhat a new and everlasting situation of our overseas and safety coverage," he said.

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

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

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

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