Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accredited a proposal to apply for membership of the NATO army 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 in opposition to the appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the choice was no purpose to have a good time because "there's conflict in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our primary pondering that we will always seek peaceable solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that may before everything search diplomatic solutions to each battle," he mentioned through the debate.

Opponents to the appliance included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, 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 turn out to be the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger solely throughout the utility process however slightly a new and everlasting condition of our foreign and security policy," he said.

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

"Having heard a really massive variety of consultants and having obtained the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This resolution is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho told reporters.

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

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