Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accredited a proposal to apply for membership of the NATO military alliance in a historic policy 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 choice was pending parliament's approval.

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

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto said the decision was no cause to have fun as a result of "there's battle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our fundamental thinking that we will at all times search peaceful options and we are a peace-loving nation that can first and foremost search diplomatic solutions to every 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 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 threat solely through the application course of but reasonably a brand new and permanent situation of our foreign and security coverage," he said.

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

"Having heard a very massive number of consultants 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 decision 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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