Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorised 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 government decided officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership however the determination was pending parliament's approval.

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight in opposition to the appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the choice was no cause to rejoice as a result of "there's war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our primary considering that we'll all the time seek peaceful solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that can first and foremost seek diplomatic options to every conflict," he stated in the course of the debate.

Opponents to the application 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 change into the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk only during the utility process however fairly a new and permanent situation of our foreign and security coverage," he said.

Early on Tuesday, the overseas affairs committee decided to hitch the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic country ought to apply for membership.

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

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

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