Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorized a proposal to apply for membership of the NATO army alliance in a historic coverage shift prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Sauli Niinisto and the federal government determined officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership however the resolution was pending parliament's approval.

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

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the choice was no reason to have a good time as a result of "there's conflict in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our fundamental pondering that we are going to at all times seek peaceable solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that can initially search diplomatic options to each battle," he mentioned in the course of the debate.

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

"Our border would change into the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger solely through the application process however quite a brand new and everlasting situation of our foreign and security coverage," he said.

Early on Tuesday, the overseas affairs committee decided to affix the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic nation should apply for membership.

"Having heard a very massive number of specialists and having acquired 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; Enhancing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams

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