Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal to use for membership of the NATO military alliance in a historic coverage 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 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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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the choice was no purpose to have fun as a result of "there is struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our basic pondering that we will at all times seek peaceful options and we're a peace-loving nation that will first and foremost search diplomatic solutions to each conflict," he mentioned during 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 decision with a counter proposal resulting in it being put to the vote.

"Our border would develop into the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a risk solely during the utility process but relatively a brand new and permanent condition of our international and security policy," he said.

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

"Having heard a really giant number 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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