Romanian TV and radio star Robert Turcescu has admitted working as an undercover intelligence officer and has given up moderating his show on the TV station B1 TV.

“Yes, I was undercover lieutenant-colonel … I chose not to betray God and make this public confession. I refuse to be Judas before Christ, even though today, those who will read or see this confession will not understand very clearly what is going on,” Turcescu said in a public appareance on Sunday night.

“This is a blessed moment, a moment of disengagement from a hardship that I have been carrying with me for years. I ask forgiveness from you all,” he added.

The statements came soon before Turcescu used his blog to publish a copy of his military book and two payment records, with the sums of money he allegedly received from a military unit. At the moment, the blog is no longer functional.

Turcescu also announced that will withdraw from the media, at least temporarily, and is ready to face the legal consequences of his actions.

Turcescu hosted a TV show called “Sub semnul intrebarii” (“Under Question”) on which he interviewed all the main politicians and public figures in Romania. He is also a radio personality, as well as a singer and songwriter.

While public opinion was shocked by Turcescu’s confession, some journalists are still reacting with caution, saying they had spotted irregularities in the documents posted on line.

“It is not normal to be both undercover agent and journalist … In a normal democracy, the secret services and mass media have to live together, but they should never be represented by the same person,” journalist Catalin Tolontan said.

So far, public institutions have declined to comment on the issue. “The Ministry of Defence will not make any statement regarding this subject. We are only applying the laws of the country and believe that debates that can hurt the image of the Romanian Army are not beneficial. If any irregularities are found, other state institutions have the competency to take a stand,” the ministry said in a press release.

Surprisingly, President Traian Basescu, on September 10, during Turcescu’s show, claimed that some presidential candidates were also undercover agents and should come clean on this matter.

Seven intelligence services operate in Romania, specializing in gathering information on issues related to national security or on threats to public order. Five do not work under parliamentary supervision.

Some have come under closer media scrutiny in recent years, and have been criticized for a number of reasons, including the alleged use of journalists for political infighting.