Boris Varga
Politologist and Journalist.
Professional interest: Transition of Eurasian post-communist countries.
Born in SFR Yugoslavia, province Vojvodina (Kula, 1975).
Current location: Novi Sad (Serbia).
Education:
2012 Ph.D. in Political Science. University of Belgrade, Faculty of political sciences, dissertation ‘Electoral revolutions’ in former socialists countries, field – Democratic transition and consolidation in former post-communist countries,
2000 Master of Journalism degree. Ivan Franko National University of L’viv in Ukraine, Faculty of Journalism, Department of the Foreign Media and Information, dissertation Specific of Propaganda in Balkan ethnic’s conflict 1990-2000.
Professional Experience:
Reported from 16 countries, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe.
2007 January – Current: Analyst for Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia (Belgrade, Serbia),
2011 October – Current: Columnist for Web “Autonomija” (Novi Sad, Serbia),
2014 March – Current: Analyst for Web “Al Jazeera Balkans” (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina),
2018 September – Current: Head of Publishing institution “Ruske slovo/Ruthenian word” (Novi Sad, Serbia),
2018 June – Current: OSCE Expert and Researcher for Media Strategy and Ethics in minorities media (Novi Sad, Serbia),
2019 January – 2020 March: Observer of the Western Balkans in magazine “Tyzhden” (Kyiv, Ukraine),
2000 June – 2018 December: Correspondent of British World Service Ukrainian Section BBC from Western Balkans.
Reported for BBC Ukraine directly from numerous historical events which took place, such as the fall of Slobodan Milosevic’s regime (2000), Armed conflict in Preshevska Dolina (2000-2001), Armed conflict in Macedonia (2001), Assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic (2003), Ethnic violence in Kosovo (2004), Vukovar war crimes trial-deportation of ethnics Ruthenians-Ukrainians from Croatia (2000-2009), Montenegro’s formation of Independence (2006), Kosovo’s formation Independence (2008), North Kosovo crisis (2011-2013), European refugee crisis (2015-2016), Ukrainian crisis and Western Balkans (2013-2019).
2000 November – 2009 May: Observer of the former Soviet Union region Belgrade’s weekly magazine “VREME” (Belgrade, Serbia),
2007 August – 2018 September: Editor of different issues for Public publishing house “Ruske slovo/Ruthenian word” (Novi Sad, Serbia),
2006 May – 2009 June: Observer of the former Soviet Union region in Newspaper “Gradjanski list” (Novi Sad, Serbia),
2000 October – 2001 October: Mentor in the Monitoring section Novi Sad’s School of Journalism (Novi Sad, Serbia),
1999 October – 2000 May: Editor and Journalist in Radio “Iniciyatyva” (L’viv, Ukraine),
1998 January – 2001 December: Newspaper “Postup” (L’viv, 1998-2001),
1997 September – 1999 September: Journalist in info-commercial program in Radio “L’vivska Hvylya” (L’viv, Ukraine),
Reported on media from Western Balkans region: Radio “B-92” (Belgrade), Magazine “Ekonom:east” (Belgrade), Web “Peščanik” (Belgrade), Magazine “Republika” (Belgrade), Magazine “NIN” (Belgrade), Magazine “Novi magazin” (Belgrade), Daily Newspaper “Dnevnik” (Novi Sad), Radio “021” (Novi Sad), Radio “Novi Sad”, Radio “Kula” (Kula), Ukrainian Newspaper “Ridne slovo” (Kula), Inform-agency “Makfax” (Macedonia, Skoplje).
Reported on media from Ukraine: Magazine “Ji” (L’viv, 1997-2007), TV channel “Most” (L’viv, 1998), Radio “Public Radio” (Kiev, 2000-2004), News-agency “Unian” (Kiev, 2006), Web “Zaxid.net” (L’viv, 2016).
Books/Publications:
Rusija i Balkan – Ekspanzija i potiskivanje (Russia and the Balkans – Expansion and Suppression), with S. Djukic, Spoljnopolitičke sveske br.2, Evropski pokret u Srbiji/Forum za međunarodne odnose, Beograd, 2019. (research, e-edition),
Populizam, direktna demokratija i tiranija većine (Populism, direct democracy and tyranny of the majority), Vojvođanska politikološka asocijacija, Novi Sad, 2018. (science research),
Srbija na putu ka EU i Rusija (Serbia on its European path and Russia), with S. Djukic, Spoljnopolitičke sveske br.2, Evropski pokret u Srbiji/Forum za međunarodne odnose, Beograd, 2017. (research, e-edition),
Evropa posle Majdana, Studentski kulturni centar Novi Sad, Novi Sad, 2015. (journalistic analysis),
Farbanje demokratije (Painting Democracy), Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava, Belgrade, 2013. (journalistic analysis),
Od ‘šarenih revolucija’ do Anonimusa (From ‘color revolution’ to Anonymous), Association of Politologists of Vojvodina (VPA), Novi Sad, 2013. (science research),
‘Izborne revolucije’ u bivšim socijalističkim državama (‘Electoral revolutions’ in former socialist countries), Academy of Sciences and Arts of Vojvodina (VANU), Novi Sad, 2012. (PhD science research),
Putin i baršunasta gerila (Putin and Velvet guerrilla), VREME, Belgrade, 2007. (journalistic analysis),
Sirove i varene/Сирове и варене (The Raw and the Cooked), Drukarnja RK, R. Krstur, 1997. (fiction book of novels).
Award:
2019 Intercultural award – The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina.
Professional Specialization:
2003 Specialization in the Centre for Russian and Eastern European studies, University of Toronto (Ontario, Canada),
2000 Specialization on Head office of World Service BBC Bush House in London (UK),
1999 First Ukrainian Zbigniew Pelczynski’s (Professor of Political Science at Oxford University) School for young leaders (L’viv, Ukraine).
Social Activities:
2019 Member of Court of Honor of The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (IJAV/NDNV, Novi Sad, Serbia),
2017 Member of Alliance of Antifascists of Vojvodina (Novi Sad, Serbia),
2012 Member of Forum for International Relations (Belgrade, Serbia),
2011 Member of Council of Vojvodina’s Politologist Association (Novi Sad, Serbia),
2008 Member of The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (IJAV/NDNV, Novi Sad, Serbia),
2000 Member of The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS, Belgrade, Serbia),
1997 Member of culture-political group “Ji” (L’viv, Ukraine).
International initiatives:
2015 – 2016 Humanitarian Aid Acton from Vojvodina to displaced persons in Ukraine from Krim and Donbas,
2000 Motioner of rebroadcasting Belgrade’s Radio “B2-92” on Lviv’s Radio “Iniciyativa”, after Slobodan Milosevic’s regime banned programming of independent radio stations in Serbia,
1999 One of the founders and editors of first Ukrainian Independent Radio “Iniciyativa” in L’viv. Journalists from Radio “Iniciyativa” strong suppored freedom of speech actions during the “Orange revolution” in Ukraine 2004.
Hobby:
Movies, music and bicycle.