Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorised a proposal to use for membership of the NATO army 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 decision was pending parliament's approval.

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

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto said the decision was no cause to rejoice as a result of "there may be struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our fundamental pondering that we'll always seek peaceful solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that will before everything search diplomatic solutions to every battle," he mentioned throughout the debate.

Opponents to the application 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 leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would turn out to be the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a risk solely through the software process but reasonably a new and permanent situation of our international and safety coverage," he stated.

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

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

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

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