First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic handed diplomatic passports today to gold-medal winning Serbian volleyball players and their coaches.

The Serbian national team players have received new passports after winning a number of medals, primarily gold ones, at many competitions.

Minister Dacic emphasized that this was an opportunity for the state, in this more than symbolic way, to give credit to the athletes who had brought medals to Serbia for years.

"Diplomatic passport is not a prerequisite for medallists to be Ambassadors of our country, they have already proven this by the results achieved and the way of conduct," Minister Dacic said.

The Serbian volleyball women's team thanked Minister Dacic for this beautiful gesture of the state and expressed hope that the state would continue to support the athletes, as the act showed the level of appreciation for their achievements and the way they represented the country in the world.

"This is a really nice gesture by the state and I am flattered to have received a diplomatic passport. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and to say that we will do our best to live up to our Ambassadorial role and to remain on top in competitions, the team captain Maja Ognjenovic said, on behalf of all volleyball players who received diplomatic passports.