BBC Alba’s award-winning current affairs programme Eòrpa returns tonight to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
The Gaelic flagship political and social affairs programme will mark three decades on screen in 2023.
It returns with an hour-long special on the refugee crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.
First aired in April 1993
Eòrpa first aired in April 1993 and has been a fixture of BBC Alba’s output since the channel’s launch in 2008.
Its first presenter was Alex O’Henley, with John Morrison, Anna MacLeod and Donald Morrison working as reporters.
Thirty years ago, Scotland didn’t have its own parliament, John Major was prime minister and Young at Heart by Scottish new wave band The Bluebells was at number one in the charts.
One of the topics of the first programme was the potential implementation of a new European currency – Euros.
While many things change, Eòrpa, has gone from strength to strength. This new series, presented by Annabel MacLennan and Andrew MacKinnon, will explore the issues of the day.
The series starts though, with an hour-long special where Annabel meets Ukrainian refugees adapting to life in Scotland and Moldova, as well as exploring the impact of the ongoing conflict with Russia on their lives.
Moldova shares a border with Ukraine and initially received more refugees per head of population than any other country, despite being one of the poorest countries in Europe.
Presenters talk to Ukrainian families
Eòrpa looks at the challenges the country faces in dealing with the influx, and how local organisations and groups are working to ease the plight of those fleeing the fighting.
Presenters talk to Ukrainian families who have found refuge in Scotland. From Edinburgh and Glasgow to Tain in the Highlands and Cardross in Argyll.
In Tain, Annabel meets Natali – who fled Ukraine with her mother and two sons, Artur and Illiia to settle in the Highland town where her cousin lives.
While they are slowly adjusting to life in Scotland, Natali’s husband and father remain in Khmelnytskyi, Western Ukraine and constantly remain in their thoughts.
In Cardross, Anna, her husband and their three young children are living with the MacDonald family.
Their journey to get to Scotland was arduous but the family is now settling after four months with Anna working as a school assistant and her husband as a civil engineer in Glasgow.
Thirty years on, Eòrpa remains at the heart of the big issues affecting Scotland and beyond.
Eòrpa airs on BBC Alba on Thursday October 6 at 9.35pm and will be on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after.
The series will resume in its usual 8.30pm slot from Thursday October 13.
Conversation