Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the government determined formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership however the resolution was pending parliament's approval.

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

Register

Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the choice was no cause to have a good time because "there may be struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our fundamental pondering that we will all the time search peaceful options and we are a peace-loving nation that will firstly search diplomatic solutions to each battle," he said in the course of the debate.

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

"Our border would change into the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk solely throughout the software process however reasonably a brand new and permanent condition of our overseas and security policy," he stated.

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

"Having heard a really massive number of specialists and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the overseas 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.

Register

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

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.