Skopje, 27 July 2022 (MIA) - Parliament on Wednesday voted 103-2 in favor of ratifying the protocols for accession to NATO of Finland and Sweden. It is the first time that the Macedonian Parliament is ratifying protocols of new countries aspiring to join the Alliance after the country joined NATO in March 2020. The ratification of the NATO accession protocols of Finland and Sweden was passed by both lawmakers from the ruling majority and the opposition, all but the two MPs from the Levica party. Following the vote, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi wished Sweden and Finland to join NATO as soon as possible and to make joint achievements in the great family. Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska, government officials and diplomats also attended the session. After the Madrid NATO Summit held in June, officials of the 30 NATO member states on July 5 signed in Brussels the protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty on the accession of Sweden and Finland. Sweden and Finland submitted requests to join the Alliance after the start of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.