On Saturday morning, the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament approved the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO. Earlier, such a decision was made by the Senate. To ratify the accession documents, the signature of the Czech president, Milosz Zeman, is also needed. – The enlargement of the North Atlantic Alliance by these two countries is in the interest of the Czech Republic and its security – said Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavsky.
President Jirzi Ovczaczek’s spokesman had previously announced that Zeman had supported the entry of both Nordic countries into the North Atlantic Alliance from the very beginning. For membership Finland she replied 134 out of 152 present in the Chamber of Members, four were against. For the party Sweden 135 of the 151 members present voted in favor, and again four MPs were against.
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Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said the accession of Finland and Sweden would be a clear benefit FOR THIS and Prague. – The enlargement of the North Atlantic Alliance by these two countries is in the interest of the Czech Republic and its security – he stressed.
NATO headquartersAlexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com
Night voting
The vote on the membership of Finland and Sweden was the second item in the parliamentary session that started on Friday. The key topic of the meeting was the rejection of the presidential veto to the law reducing the health insurance premium, paid by the state for budget employees and students.
Due to a dispute with the opposition, it took 11 hours to establish the agenda. The MPs took up the issue of NATO enlargement only at night.
In order for Finland and Sweden to become members of the pact, the accession documents must be ratified by all 30 states belonging to the North Atlantic Alliance.
Main photo source: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com