Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the government decided officially 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 appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen mentioned.

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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the choice was no purpose to rejoice because "there is battle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our primary pondering that we are going to at all times search peaceable options and we are a peace-loving nation that may before everything seek diplomatic options to each battle," he stated during 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 resulting in it being put to the vote.

"Our border would grow to be the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger only through the utility process however reasonably a new and permanent situation of our foreign and security coverage," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a really large variety of consultants and having obtained the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the 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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