Microsoft's Hungarian offices raided in antitrust probe
Microsoft's squeaky-clean image took quite a beating this week: not only was the company accused of "patent terrorism," its Hungarian offices were raided in an antitrust investigation. Hungarian officials at the state competition authority GVH say Microsoft abused its market position to put the squeeze on local distributors, and that the raid was necessary to find evidence of "a system of conditions or favors with the most significant software distributors" that made it "disadvantageous for them to sell competing products." The investigation is slated to take up to 180 days before authorities have to either file or ask for an extension. Microsoft says it's "cooperating fully," but hasn't issued any further comment -- which is interesting, because you'd think the PR staff would have some stock answers to European antitrust investigations by now.
