Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 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 determined formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership however the determination was pending parliament's approval.

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

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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the choice was no reason to rejoice because "there's conflict in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our basic considering that we'll at all times search peaceful solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that can at the start seek diplomatic solutions to every conflict," he stated 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, among them Markus Mustajarvi who challenged the choice with a counter proposal resulting in it being put to the vote.

"Our border would develop into the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk only through the software process but moderately a new and permanent situation of our overseas and security policy," he stated.

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

"Having heard a really massive number of experts and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This choice is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho advised reporters.

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

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