Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the federal government decided formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the resolution was pending parliament's approval.

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

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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said the choice was no reason to have a good time as a result of "there is struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our basic thinking that we are going to at all times search peaceful options and we're a peace-loving nation that can in the beginning search diplomatic solutions to every battle," he stated throughout 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 develop into the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a risk solely through the application process but quite a new and permanent condition of our foreign and security coverage," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a very large variety of consultants and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the overseas affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This choice is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho instructed reporters.

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

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