Bitola Municipality has unanimously extended the handball platform uniting HC Eurofarm Rabotnik and HC Pelister. The agreement, which governs the capital and management structure between the two clubs, received full backing at the council's 12th session on a proposal by president Bojan Bojkoski.

"Bitola lives for handball," Bojkoski said when presenting the proposal, describing the sport as "a symbol and a source of pride for the city." And here comes the key bit: "sport should be a unifying factor." The platform, he said, has proved that "with vision, partnership and dedication, a strong and competitive club can be built, recognised both at home and on the European scene."

For those who follow Balkan handball, this is significant news. HC Pelister has broken into European competitions in recent years, and HC Eurofarm Rabotnik has long been a pillar of the Macedonian league. The platform avoids what's typical for Balkan sport - two clubs in the same city exhausting each other fighting for the same audience, the same sponsors, the same players.

Unanimous backing in the Bitola council isn't an everyday occurrence. When councillors from different parties agree on something, it usually means either the matter is politically neutral, or everyone can feel the public's pulse. Handball in Bitola is exactly that kind of thing - a civic theme that doesn't allow political flexing.

The open question: will other Macedonian cities follow the Bitola model? Skopje's basketball clubs have spent decades fighting over the same resources instead of building a shared platform. Maybe it's time Skopje learned something from Bitola - not only in sport, but in understanding that the general interest outweighs the club interest.