Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the government determined 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 towards the application, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

Register

Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the choice was no cause to have fun because "there may be conflict in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our basic thinking that we will always search peaceful options and we are a peace-loving nation that may at the beginning search diplomatic options to every conflict," he stated throughout the debate.

Opponents to the appliance included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, 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 turn out to be the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger solely through the application course of however rather a brand new and everlasting situation of our foreign and security coverage," he stated.

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

"Having heard a very large number of experts and having received 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.

Register

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

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.