Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accredited a proposal to use for membership of the NATO army alliance in a historic policy 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 in opposition to the applying, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the decision was no reason to rejoice as a result of "there's war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our basic considering that we are going to at all times search peaceable options and we are a peace-loving nation that will before everything search diplomatic solutions to every conflict," he stated throughout 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 leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would become the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk solely through the application course of but slightly a new and permanent condition of our overseas and safety coverage," he said.

Early on Tuesday, the overseas affairs committee decided to affix the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic nation ought to apply for membership.

"Having heard a very massive variety of experts 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 resolution is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho informed reporters.

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

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