Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal to use for membership of the NATO army 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 but the choice was pending parliament's approval.

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

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

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our fundamental considering that we are going to all the time search peaceable solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that can at first seek diplomatic options to each battle," he stated during the debate.

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

"Our border would turn into the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a danger only throughout the software process however relatively a brand new and permanent condition of our foreign and safety coverage," he said.

Early on Tuesday, the international affairs committee decided to affix the state management in proposing to parliament that the Nordic nation ought to apply for membership.

"Having heard a very large variety of experts and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international affairs committee agrees with the government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This resolution is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho advised reporters.

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

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