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Sun, 29 May, 2016 12:10:34 AM FTimes – STT Report, May 29  President Sauli Niinistö in an interview with Yle on Saturday. Photo – Lehtikuva. President Sauli Niinstö on Saturday said the potential membership of NATO is a matter for the people to decide.
Talking to the national broadcaster Yle in its Ykkösaamu (Morning breakfast) programme, the president said referendum is one of the greatest matters in a democracy.
“I have been a little surprised to hear that now the decision-makers need to decide instead of the people,” Niinstö said.
The Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party), a component of the three-party alliance government, decided in favour of applying for NATO membership “in the coming year.”
The party adopted a new foreign and security policy statement on Thursday.
All the candidates for the Kokoomus party chair – Alexander Stubb, Petteri Orpo and Elina Lepomäki – have said that a referendum is necessary for any decisions on NATO membership.
According to them, the application should be sought as early as the next parliamentary term.
The Kokoomus has not had occasion to clarify their preferred date for NATO membership, though it has supported the application for about 10 years already. The Kokoomus position will be cemented at the party congress meeting in June in Lappeenranta.
“The Kokoomus will repeat the position it has held since 2005,” Niinistö said.
He said his position during the last two presidential elections as the Kokoomus candidate has been in favour of NATO membership.
However, he added that the Kokoomus position on NATO membership was not a driving force in either election for him.
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