Finnish MPs back legal changes for nuclear weapons storage

The Finnish Parliament’s Defence Committee has approved a government-backed bill that would permit nuclear weapons to be brought into and stationed on Finnish territory under certain circumstances.

“The majority of members of the Defence Committee support the amendment to the law that would allow nuclear explosive devices to be brought into Finland in a crisis situation,” the statement by the Finnish Parliament said, TASS reports.

The proposal, however, faced opposition from several parliamentary parties. Lawmakers representing the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party, and the Left Alliance of Finland did not support the government’s initiative.

The legislation stems from a proposal submitted by the Finnish government to parliament on April 23, seeking authorization to allow the import and storage of nuclear weapons within the country.

To implement the measure, the government has proposed amendments to Finland’s Nuclear Energy Act and the Criminal Code.

The bill forms part of broader legislative changes that would create a legal framework for the potential deployment and storage of nuclear weapons on Finnish territory in times of crisis.

By Vafa Guliyeva