In Azerbaijan as the European Games Torch arrives in the capital the crowds who came to observe the historic moment say they were “told” to come.
Or at least this is how one of the women frustrated from the long wait told Azadliq Radiosu. “They brought us here by force” said one of the women who presented herself as being from “education establishment”. Her friend, quickly corrected her, "No, no! We came here ourselves. They gave us tickets at work, and suggested we come".
Not far from them, someone yells over the phone, "What do you mean you are not coming? You want to be fired?"
These women were not the only ones who received special “directions” and "incentives" to visit the stadium. Students, employees of ministries, teachers, and other government body employees were on their way to the Olympic stadium on clear orders.
Some appeared unhappy, complaining that they had to come on their day off.
European Games kick off June 12 and will last until June 28.