Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorized a proposal to apply 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 however the choice was pending parliament's approval.

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

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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the decision was no cause to rejoice because "there is struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our fundamental thinking that we'll always seek peaceable solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that may first and foremost search diplomatic solutions to each battle," he mentioned during the debate.

Opponents to the appliance included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, part of Finland's five-party coalition, among them Markus Mustajarvi who challenged the decision with a counter proposal leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would grow to be the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk solely in the course of the application process but rather a brand new and everlasting condition of our foreign and security policy," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a very giant variety of experts and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international affairs committee agrees with the 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; Enhancing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams

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