Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

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

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

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

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the decision was no cause to celebrate as a result of "there may be struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our primary pondering that we will always search peaceable solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that may before everything seek diplomatic solutions to each battle," he stated through the debate.

Opponents to the applying 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 wouldn't be a risk only throughout the software process however slightly a new and permanent condition of our foreign and security policy," he said.

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

"Having heard a really giant variety of specialists and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the overseas affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This choice 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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