Hundreds of people have gathered in Montenegro as authorities unveil a monument to Josip Broz Tito.

The move is a rare honour for the late communist dictator, who was widely denounced after the 1990s break-up of Yugoslavia.

The ceremony in Montenegro’s capital of Podgorica marked the anniversary of the city’s liberation at the end of World War Two from the Nazi German occupiers by Tito’s anti-fascists.

Expand Close Workers prepare the monument to late Yugoslav communist leader Josip Broz Tito (Risto Bozovic/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Workers prepare the monument to late Yugoslav communist leader Josip Broz Tito (Risto Bozovic/AP)

The crowd waved Montenegrin and old Yugoslav flags and sang songs about Tito’s partisan movement, reflecting nostalgic sentiments many in the former Yugoslavia still feel nearly three decades after the country dissolved in bloodshed.

While Tito imposed a communist dictatorship, Yugoslavs also enjoyed free travel and relative openness compared to other Communist countries at the time in Eastern Europe.

Podgorica was once known as Titograd (Tito’s city).

PA Media