Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accredited 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 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 towards the appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto said the decision was no cause to have fun as a result of "there is warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our basic pondering that we are going to always search peaceable options and we are a peace-loving nation that may at first seek diplomatic solutions to each conflict," he mentioned through 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 choice with a counter proposal leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would change into the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger only throughout the application course of however somewhat a brand new and permanent situation of our international and security policy," he mentioned.

Early on Tuesday, the foreign affairs committee decided to affix the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic country ought to apply for membership.

"Having heard a very massive variety of experts and having obtained 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 choice is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho informed reporters.

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

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