The Dutch commentator at the Eurovision Song Contest, Cornald Maas, has been fired by broadcaster TROS. Reason for the dismissal was a tweet message Cornald recently posted. Three weeks ago, on the day of the Dutch parliament elections, Cornald posted the following tweet: “Funny export products we have in the Netherlands: Sieneke, Joran van der Sloot and the PVV” ( a controversial Dutch political party).

Following the above tweet, Cornald was fired yesterday by the Dutch broadcaster – three weeks after the posted tweet. During a short conversation TROS told Cornald they wouldn't hire him for next year's Eurovision Song Contest.

Cornald: "The conversation only took 10 minutes. I wouldn't even call it a conversation; it was more like a short communication in which I was told I was fired. I never saw this coming and I was really surprised and amazed. They fired me because of an ironical tweet I posted three weeksago as a private person and in my private time. It kinda worries me that a public broadcaster uses dismissal procedures like this".

Director of TROS, Peter Kuipers, reacted as well to the news: You just can't compare an eighteen year old girl to a serial killer. Cornald has simply gone too far. Of course everybody is allowed to have an opinion, but you have to stick to certain values.

Sieneke's management reacted as follows in a press release: "We have no problem at all with Cornald's tweet and Sieneke doesn't feel personally offended".

In the meantime, Cornald Maas sent an email to the director of the NPO (National Public Broadcaster): "I asked Henk Hagoort for some clarification about the general interest of our participation at the Eurovision Song Contest. In my point of view an artist should represent the entire nation; not just a broadcaster.Sieneke's Ik ben verliefd -Sha la lie matched really well with the identity of the broadcaster, but it wasn't my cup of tea and I've never lied about that. Of course I hopedthe song would have been more succesful in Oslo, but I never had any high hopes that this typical Dutch folkore would do very well at the contest. I have the right to say these things in terms of my role as an independant and credible commentator", Cornald states.