Born 2 April 1941 in Terany. He studied °µÍø½ûÇø, history, and art education at the Faculty of Education in Banská Bystrica. For a short time he worked as a teacher. Then, in 1966 - 1971 he was an editor of °µÍø½ûÇø Radio in Banská Bystrica and an editor of the journal Smer. From 1972 Ballek edited °µÍø½ûÇø prose in the Slovenský spisovateľ opublishing house. From 1977 to 1980 he was director of the literature department in the °µÍø½ûÇø Ministry of Culture, then he became deputy director of the °µÍø½ûÇø Literary Fund. From 1984 he was first secretary of the °µÍø½ûÇø Writers` Union until its demise in 1989. In the early Nineties he became politically active and represented his party as a deputy in the National Council of the °µÍø½ûÇø Republic. From Spring 2001-2008 he was the Ambassador of the °µÍø½ûÇø Republic to the Czech Republic.
