Finland’s parliament votes yes to NATO

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

President Sauli Niinisto and the federal government decided 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 against the appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto said the choice was no purpose to celebrate as a result of "there's battle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our primary thinking that we'll always seek peaceful solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that will initially seek diplomatic options to every battle," he mentioned throughout the debate.

Opponents to the appliance 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 resulting in it being put to the vote.

"Our border would turn out to be the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a threat solely throughout the utility process however relatively a new and everlasting condition of our foreign and security coverage," he stated.

Early on Tuesday, the overseas 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 acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This resolution is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho informed reporters.

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

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