Finland’s parliament votes sure 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 policy 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 but the resolution was pending parliament's approval.

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

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the choice was no cause to have fun because "there is warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO is not going to change our primary pondering that we'll at all times search peaceful options and we're a peace-loving nation that can at the beginning search diplomatic options to each battle," he said through the debate.

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

"Our border would grow to be the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk only in the course of the application course of however slightly a new and permanent situation of our international and security coverage," he said.

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

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

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

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