Jozef Banáš (born 27 September 1948) is a Slovak novelist, journalist, diplomat and politician.
Professional career 1972 - graduated at the University of Economics in Bratislava with major in foreign trade 1973-1976 - business consultant at Chirana Export Piešťany 1977-1992 - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prague 1983-1988 - embassy in Berlin, NDR, press attaché 1990-1992 - embassy in Wien, deputy chief of mission 1992 - Raiffeisenleasing Wien 1993-1994 - Tatraleasing Bratislava, chief executive officer 1994-2001 - Slovak International Tabak, industrial politics management
Works 1978 – Nebráňme vtákom lietať (Don't stop the birds from flying), TV staging, scenario 1979 – Čisté vody (Clear waters), TV staging 1982 – Mimoriadny rýchlik (Extraordinary express), TV staging, scenario 1983 – Kirchhoffov zákon (Kirchoff's Law), TV staging, scenario 1985 – Začiatok sezóny (Start of the season), movie scenario 1990 – Tréning na štátnika (Training for statesman), theatre comedy 1996 – No Comment, theatre comedy 2001 – Lepší ako včera (Better than yesterday), book of short stories 2006 – Politicum tremens (co-author Bohumil Hanzel), humorous book about National Council of Slovakia 2007 – Idioti v politike (Idiots in politics), satiric book about politics 2007 – Delírium P. (Delirium P.), theatre comedy 2008 – Zóna nadšenia (Zone of enthusiasm), political thriller 2009 – Zastavte Dubčeka! (Stop Dubček !), novel 2010 – Deň do večnosti (A day to eternity), poetry collection 2010Kód 9 (Code 9), novel 2011 – Sezóna potkanov (Rat season), novel 2013 – Kód 1 (Code 1), novel 2015 – Dementi (Morons), novel about Banáš's readers 2020 - Nádherná Smrť v Altaji ("Amazing Death in Altay mountains"), novel
Besides his literal ventures, he is known as a political journalist and essayist. His essays and thoughts gained international acclaim.
Political career 1976 - entered Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) 2001-2002 - general secretary of the Aliancia nového občana (ANO) party 2002-2006 - elected deputy of National Council as ANO candidate. He was the vice-chairman of the Committee on European Integration; member of the Safety and Defence Committee and of the Permanent Delegation of the National Council of Slovakia to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council and leader of the Permanent Delegation of the National Council at the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO. 2003 - vice-chairman of The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 2004 - after he did not become the lead candidate for ANO in the European Parliament elections, he announced that he was leaving ANO and to become an independent deputy in the National Council 2004 - joined the deputies club of The Slovak Democratic and Christian Union party (SDKÚ) 2004 - joined SDKÚ 11.11.2004 - elected in Venice as a vice-chairman of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, making him the first Slovak elected to this position
Personal life He is married and has two daughters. His younger daughter, Adela Vinczeová, is a prominent moderator and entertainer in Slovakia. According to his daughter Adela, Banáš is a lapsed Catholic.
References
Slaboch aj veľký politik. Názory na symbol Pražskej jari sa líšia (in Slovak) Josef Banáš at the Berlin International Literature Festival 2010