LONDON Eric Thames Jersey , June 29 (Xinhua) -- Mobike, one of China's largest bike-sharing companies, launched its service in the Greater Manchester, Britain, on Thursday.


With up to 1,000 bikes planned to be put into use in Manchester and Salford Jonathan Villar Jersey , some were unloaded overnight to key locations, such as main train stations, major throughways, as well as vibrant destinations for food, retail, leisure Orlando Arcia Jersey , and entertainment.


Supported by the Manchester City Council, Salford City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester, this is the first and only bike-sharing scheme currently in Manchester. Mobike hopes that its bikes' iconic silver and orange look will soon become part of the city's main transport network.


Working with local councils and companies, Mobike has tried to take a community-oriented approach for its 100th City launch globally and its first European arrival.


A local logistics firm and some organizations will help to redistribute the bikes to key points of high-demand, while ensuring the bikes are in top conditions.


Andrew Taylor, travel plan manager at Manchester Metropolitan University Robin Yount Jersey , said: "At Manchester Metropolitan we are very excited about the launch of the Mobike scheme. We are working closely with Mobike to ensure the scheme can be effortlessly accessed by our staff and students. The scheme will potentially mean that cycling becomes a more convenient and affordable way to travel, and we are optimistic that Mobike will support the greater uptake of cycling in the city."


The deposit for the bikes is 49 pounds and fully refundable. For the special month of July, Mobike will offer a discounted 29-pound deposit to users. Usage is charged at 50 pence per 30mins.


Using specially designed bikes equipped with GPS and proprietary smart-lock technology, Mobike enables users of its smartphone app to find a bike near them, reserve and unlock it. After reaching their destination, the user parks the bike by the roadside and locks it Glenn Robinson Jersey , automatically making the bike available to the next rider.


The company officially launched its service in Shanghai in April 2016, and in just over a year, has since expanded the service to 130 cities globally.


Earlier this year, Ofo, a rival company of Mobike in China, has launched 20 bikes in Cambridge.




by Jernej Karlo Paul Molitor Jersey , Zhao Yi


LJUBLJANA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- A general atmosphere of disappointment can be felt in the Slovenian public sphere following the European elections on Sunday. Not so much about the results, but rather about the abysmal participation rate among the voters.


Slovenia faces the 3rd lowest turnout rate in the whole European Union. Not even 21 percent of eligible voters decided to cast a ballot in the election.


The countries participation rate is ranked just ahead of Slovakia (13 percent) and the Czech Republic (19.5 percent). For comparison the average voter turnout in the EU was just over 43 percent.


POLITICAL APATHY


Low participation rates are not a problem unique to Slovenia. The EU has had difficulties with the declining participation rate ever since the first European election in 1979.


The elections to the European Parliament have always been considered as second grade election, and has fared worse in comparison with national parliamentary elections or local elections.


In the case of Slovenia, the main reason for the lack participation is seen in the apathy of the citizen regarding politics.


Slovenians today are more politically disillusioned than ever before. The country was hit hard by the current global economic crisis and has yet to recover.


The government's failure to effectively tackle the crisis also has led to continuous political instability and bickering between the ruling coalition parties and opposition parties.


The voters have lost the trust in election as a mean of projecting the will of the people.


"It is all the same. Nothing changes. Same old faces running the country," said Joze Veberic Matt Garza Jersey , a qualfied worker of Armal, a kitchen faucet maker in Slovenia.


NEW FACES EXPECTED


Slovenian voters feel like their voice is not being heard by the old elites. "We should give opportunities to our young people," Veberic added.


The average voter does not trust the words of the politicians. They expect to see new leaders who have no political pedigree, and are not tainted by ideological past.


The demand for fresh blood in Slovenian political landscape has manifested itself in the surprising victory of the Positive Slovenia party on the last national parliamentary election in 2011.


Led by Zoran Jankovic, mayor of Ljubljana, the party managed to win the most seats in the national parliament. But the new party and its leadership failed on realizing its campaign promises.


SMALL vs BIG NATIONS


Voters are also conscious about the size and influence of Slovenia in the European Parliament.


"There are other Stephen Vogt Jersey , bigger countries in the EU that really matter. Slovenia is a small fish. It does not matter who we vote, other countries will decide," says Vida Kosi, a housewife and mother of three.


Slovenia has eight seats out of 751 seats, only one percent share of seats in the European Parliament. The seats in the legislature are allocated by the size of the country's population. Apparently, the majority of seats go to Germany Ryan Braun Jersey , France and other bigger countries.


There are also few kind words for policy-makers in Brussels when local people compare the current position of Slovenia to that in the former Yugoslavia.


"In the past we were ordered around from the former capital Belgrade, today from Brussels," said Veberic. "We just changed one boss for another".


Slovenia declared independence from former Yugoslavia in 1991, and joined the EU in 2004 after years of negotiations and policy reforms.


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