11. Jos Bertrand
I was born in 1953, which makes me 71 years old in October. I am a true Belgian, the child of a mother from Limburg and a father from Liège. At home, both Dutch and French were spoken. I grew up in northern Limburg in Kleine Brogel.
After my studies and my civilian service, I worked for 10 years in the social movements "Wereldscholen" as an unemployed person with exemption until, after the European elections in 1984, I ended up in the European Parliament as an associate of Jef Ulburghs, a left-wing pastor and grassroots worker/colleague in Wereldscholen, elected to the Flemish Socialists' list. Ulburghs was the figurehead of "Doorbraak" a social movement aligned with the Flemish Socialists. From 1989 to 1996, I worked there for Lode Van Outrive, who succeeded Ulburghs in the European Parliament.
It was Party President Frank Vandenbroucke who brought me into the party in 1993 to prepare for the 1994 European elections. For twenty years, until 2005, I worked in the European Parliament for the sp.a members of parliament. Then I worked for the European Parliament until my retirement. First for Mia de Vits in her capacity of quaestor, later in the information bureau of the European Parliament where I was responsible for relations with civil society in Belgium.
Après avoir pris ma retraite, S-plus m’a demandé d’être leur représentant auprès de l’organisation européenne des groupes socialistes de seniors ESO-PES. J'y suis devenu président et, par la suite, administrateur d'AGE-Europe, le réseau de toutes les organisations de seniors en Europe.
I live in Watermael-Boitsfort with my wife Lizzy Konings. I am the proud father of a son Peter Milojkowic. It is for him, his wife Haicla and their little daughter Luca, and all the generations yet to come, that I want to remain involved in politics.
Old is not out! Even as a senior citizen, I want to help shape a future where peace, solidarity and equality are central in a world where people can develop and engage.
My dream for Brussels
An age-friendly city tailored to the elderly and children, offering tranquillity and conviviality for all! Brussels as a meeting place between north and south of our country, of French and Dutch speakers. We have a lot to learn from each other!
My biggest concern is the huge gap between rich and poor in our society. Brussels is one of the richest regions in Europe, but the large returns from these economic activities are flowing away from our region, which is also in the leading group in terms of the number of people living in poverty.
My second concern is the observation that the many communities in our city are becoming increasingly isolated from each other. Every community needs to realise that we all need each other. That you cannot lock yourself away in your own community or impose your norms and values on each other.
The fight against poverty, for greater equality and the fight against self-interest, against the "own people/community first" ideology, the fight for solidarity and equality, that should be at the forefront of policy.