Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accredited 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 decided formally 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 in opposition to the application, Speaker Matti Vanhanen mentioned.

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto said the decision was no cause to rejoice because "there's warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our primary thinking that we are going to at all times search peaceable solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that can at first seek diplomatic solutions to every battle," he stated in the course of 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 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 would not be a risk only throughout the utility process however moderately a brand new and everlasting situation of our international and safety coverage," he said.

Early on Tuesday, the overseas affairs committee determined to hitch the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic country ought to 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 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; Editing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams

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