Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accepted 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 however the decision was pending parliament's approval.

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

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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the decision was no motive to have a good time as a result of "there's war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our fundamental considering that we are going to always search peaceable options and we're a peace-loving nation that may before everything search diplomatic solutions to each conflict," he said throughout the debate.

Opponents to the applying included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, part of Finland's five-party coalition, amongst 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 army alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger only in the course of the software process but somewhat a brand new and permanent situation of our overseas and security policy," he mentioned.

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

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

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

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