Serbia Buries Tito's Widow, the Last Symbol of Yugoslavia

Jovanka Broz in 1952

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: The widow of former Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito was to be buried with full state honours on Saturday, the last symbol of the communist federation that broke up in the 1990s.

Jovanka Broz, who died of heart failure at the age of 88, will be buried next to her husband in the House of Flowers in Belgrade, where the communist strongman was laid to rest in 1980.

Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic will give a speech at the funeral, to be held with full military honours as Broz was a decorated member of the Yugoslav anti-fascist partisan movement in World War II, the government said.

"It will be the funeral the first lady of the former state deserves. This is the least we could do," said Serbian deputy prime minister Rasim Ljajic ahead of the funeral.

Several dozen people, mostly elderly former partisans, gathered in front of the mausoleum to pay their respects.

Many of them proudly carried their World War II decorations, while others waved the blue, white and red flags of the former communist federation that broke apart in a series of bloody conflicts in the 1990s. » | AFP | Sunday, October 27, 2013