DUBAI // The Speaker of the FNC has warned a visiting delegation from the European parliament against false impressions and cultural misunderstandings of the region.
Mohammed Al Murr made his comments after a Swedish member, Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, raised questions on women's freedom and human trafficking.
"All these are important issues and like you, every country tries to improve its situation," Mr Al Murr said. "They move forward."
He said differences in culture created misunderstandings.
"I was reading in Germany there were political parties that used cartoons against Islam", and that they wanted to plaster them outside a mosque.
Mr Al Murr said this was a case where freedom of speech, a cultural right in Germany, could harm people.
"These things you have to keep in mind when discussing these matters of intercultural co-operation and relationships," he said. "You have to see there are different cultures.
"Women in the Arab world have full rights."
Interpretations of Islam varied around the region, he said. Some interpreted it in a conservative way and others, including the UAE, in an enlightened way.
But the media tended to focus on the more conservative interpretations, Mr Al Murr said.
In the case of human trafficking, he said it was inevitable that with more people entering the UAE every day, it would attract "the good and the bad".
A German member of the European parliament asked about the low turnout in last September's FNC elections, when only a quarter of eligible voters went to the polls.
The Speaker blamed logistical problems, lack of media coverage and lack of interest in the federal government.
"There are two levels in the government, federal and local, and many people, especially in the services sector, think the federal election is not important to them," said Mr Al Murr.
The reasons for the low turnout are still being studied, he said.
Internationally, Mr Al Murr said the UAE followed a "peaceful foreign policy".
He said the FNC was all for last year's Arab revolts if they improved the people's lot, and that the GCC welcomed positive change in the Arab world.
When economic development failed to benefit the public, the result was popular "anger", he said, but when they did benefit they were more likely to show their support for further development.
Mr Al Murr stressed that economic development in the UAE focused on helping Emiratis.
"Fortunately our leader, Sheikh Zayed, had all this in his mind, how everything benefits all people, everywhere," he said. "That was his goal and what his son Sheikh Khalifa is doing."
The chairwoman of the European group Angelika Niebler, another parliamentarian from Germany, asked about the "UAE Seven" Emiratis, six of whom are being held for allegedly posing a threat to state security.
Mr Al Murr said the decision had been made by "executive power".
"Those people will be under the jurisdiction of the UAE law and they will get a fair trial," he said.
Members of the delegation said they were "amazed" at what the UAE had achieved in 40 years.
osalem@thenational.ae
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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