Finland’s parliament votes sure 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 federal government determined formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the decision was pending parliament's approval.

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight towards the appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen mentioned.

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto said the choice was no cause to have fun because "there may be war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our fundamental considering that we'll at all times seek peaceful options and we're a peace-loving nation that can initially seek diplomatic options to every 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, among them Markus Mustajarvi who challenged the choice with a counter proposal resulting in it being put to the vote.

"Our border would change into the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk solely during the utility course of however slightly a new and everlasting situation of our international and safety policy," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a very massive number of specialists and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This resolution is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho told reporters.

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

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