Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

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

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight against the applying, Speaker Matti Vanhanen said.

Register

Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said the choice was no reason to rejoice as a result of "there's conflict in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our basic considering that we are going to always search peaceful options and we are a peace-loving nation that will before everything seek diplomatic solutions to every battle," he said during 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 decision with a counter proposal leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would develop into the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a danger solely during the utility course of however somewhat a new and permanent condition of our overseas and safety coverage," he said.

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

"Having heard a really large variety of specialists and having obtained the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This decision is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho told reporters.

Register

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

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Belief Rules.