Finnish ministers deplore Microsoft's failure to invest

Finnish Finance Minister Alexander Stubb said on Thursday he was disappointed that Microsoft failed to honor its commitment.

During the parliamentary question hour on Thursday, Stubb took the pledge made by Microsoft in 2013 to establish a data center in Finland as an example. "It was not realized," Stubb said.

Microsoft made the promise in 2013 and later said a center had been established near Helsinki, but local media believed it was far from what Microsoft had promised in 2013.

Stubb said "tough talks will be held" with Microsoft on how to proceed with the current situation.

Finnish Labour Minister Jari Lindstrom said Microsoft should be made accountable for what they have done and for dismissing workers. However, Lindstrom admitted that Microsoft introduced a support programme in Finland and helped to launch some 100 "startups".

The social responsibility of Microsoft should now be maximised, Lindstrom said.

Chairman of the opposition Christian Democratic Party, Sari Essayah reminded how Microsoft had promised in 2013 to make Finland "a center of its development work" and refrain from shifting work abroad.

Essayah claimed that Microsoft had "broken all its promises and not assumed social responsibility".

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced plans to lay off 1,350 workers in Finland.

Microsoft became a key player on the Finnish IT sector when it took over the mobile phone division of Nokia in 2014. Endit