Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accredited 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 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 appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen said.

Register

Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto said the choice was no motive to rejoice because "there's conflict in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our primary pondering that we will always search peaceable options and we're a peace-loving nation that may at the start seek diplomatic solutions 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, among them Markus Mustajarvi who challenged the decision with a counter proposal resulting in 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 risk only in the course of the application process however moderately a new and everlasting condition of our overseas and security coverage," he said.

Early on Tuesday, the international affairs committee determined to join the state management in proposing to parliament that the Nordic nation should apply for membership.

"Having heard a very large variety of specialists and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This resolution is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho informed reporters.

Register

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

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Rules.