Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accepted a proposal to apply for membership of the NATO military alliance in a historic policy 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 but the determination was pending parliament's approval.

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

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto said the decision was no reason to celebrate because "there is war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our basic thinking that we are going to always search peaceful options and we are a peace-loving nation that will in the beginning search diplomatic solutions to each battle," he mentioned through the debate.

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

"Our border would develop into the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a threat only through the software course of however relatively a new and everlasting condition of our foreign and safety coverage," he mentioned.

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

"Having heard a very large variety of experts and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This determination 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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