Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorised 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 decided officially 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 against the applying, Speaker Matti Vanhanen mentioned.

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the decision was no purpose to celebrate because "there's battle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our fundamental pondering that we are going to always seek peaceable solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that may at the beginning seek diplomatic options to every battle," he stated throughout the debate.

Opponents to the application 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 become the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a danger solely through the application process however rather a brand new and permanent situation of our overseas and safety policy," he mentioned.

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 giant number of consultants and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This decision is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho informed reporters.

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

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