Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorized a proposal to apply for membership of the NATO navy alliance in a historic policy 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 but the decision was pending parliament's approval.

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

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the decision was no purpose to rejoice as a result of "there's struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our primary thinking that we will always seek peaceful solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that may firstly seek diplomatic options to every conflict," he said during the debate.

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

"Our border would turn into the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk only during the software process however quite a brand new and everlasting condition of our international and security policy," he mentioned.

Early on Tuesday, the foreign affairs committee determined to hitch the state management in proposing to parliament that the Nordic country ought to apply for membership.

"Having heard a very giant variety of experts and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This determination is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho instructed reporters.

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

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