STA, 9 August 2021 - A month after the start of the Slovenian EU presidency, a cycle route was launched running between the northern town of Kranj and Brdo pri Kranju, the main venue for presidency-related events. To honour Slovenia's second stint at the helm of the Council of the EU, Kranj will also plant trees along the lane in the autumn.
The route runs from Kokrica to Predoslje, linking Kranj and Brdo as well, the Kranj municipality said on Monday. The EUR 360,000 project got under way after the state cleared EUR 217,000 in state and EU funds out of the Regional Development Fund in mid-May.
The investment, Kranj's contribution to the Slovenian presidency, seeks to boost sustainable mobility of the locals in the long run as Kranj is now linked with villages in the northern part of the municipality. The bike path may be used by pedestrians as well, however they are given lower priority over bicycles.
The two-way lane will soon be tree-lined as the municipality aims to plant apple trees native to Slovenia this autumn. In total, 54 trees will be planted, two per each EU member state, at a ceremony most likely to be attended by representatives of EU countries, the municipality said in a press release.
"This tree-lined route will be a symbol of ties and cooperation," said Kranj Mayor Matjaž Rakovec, noting that cooperation for the benefit of all was one of the EU's pillars.
