Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly permitted 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 decided officially 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 against the applying, Speaker Matti Vanhanen said.

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the choice was no reason to have a good time as a result of "there is warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our basic considering that we'll always search peaceful options and we're a peace-loving nation that can first and foremost search diplomatic solutions to every conflict," he stated 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, among 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 army alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger only in the course of the utility process but moderately a new and everlasting situation of our international and safety coverage," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a really giant variety of consultants and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This decision is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho told reporters.

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

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