The German federal research ministry has ordered Nokia to pay back the subsidies it received for the Nokia R&D business unit in Bochum, according to German magazine WirtschaftsWoche citing a letter sent by the ministry to Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. In the letter, the federal ministry of research calls for EUR 1.3 million plus interest to be paid back; this was to be used for a research project called Details. When Nokia announced that it would close its manufacturing plant in Bochum on 1 July of this year, the ministry investigated four R&D programs executed by Nokia with EUR 4 million in subsidies from the federal government. Nokia was able to show that three projects were finished and the subsidy for the fourth project, which was not completed, is now to be paid back. Nokia has one month to challenge the claim.

Source:Telecompaper